Argent Knight of Pendragon
by Ronin2106
Summary: Almost dead and possessed by Dark Lord, Harry is saved by his godmother when found in Paris. Thought dead, Harry is rescued by his godparents and adopted in to House Pendragon, descendants of King Arthur and Mordred. Yet, his former family and Dumbledore do not wish him to live free of them. Lots of British bashing, Minor X-overs, Powerful,Smart, Not-Heir Harry.
1. Chapter 1

**Paris. St. Jeanne's Hospital. June 20****th****. 1983**

The main magical hospital in France was somewhat quiet and peaceful, a welcomed state by doctors, nurses and mediwitches that worked here. No major crisis was occurring and there was no sign of any great harm to human lives made, not unlike just two years ago, when France and England were terrorized by the infamous Death Eaters and their sadistic Dark Lord Voldemort. Though most of their activities were centered in British Isles, France hadn't escape being unwillingly dragged into the conflict, though with far fewer casualties, and a far more aggressive and effective defense against the terrorists.

Unlike with their English counterparts, French Magical Nobility was far more liberal and enlightened, in their own and Europe's opinion, in matters of blood purity and supremacy. Here, such things were considered to be not just outdated, but archaic and even barbaric, not to mention the fact that most French nobles didn't look down on first generation wizards and witches, or Muggleborns as Brits called them. Here, in France, such Wizards and Witches were respected, seen as equals and their rights being firmly protected by French Ministry of Magic.

Practically all French Noble Houses, from the simple Noble Houses to even the single Exalted and Most Ancient House, have openly married Witches and Wizards of first generation throughout centuries, starting from mid-15th century, after the Hundred Years War. Such practices had a positive effect on Noble Houses and Magical France as a whole, with a great number of powerful users of magic and the lowest number of Mageborns, or Squibs, in Europe. Needless to say, that Voldemort's philosophy had found very few supporters in France, and even those that did support him, were quick to abandon his ways.

French Minister for Magic declared Voldemort public enemy number one for Magical France, after his lackeys had staged an attack on Domremy-la-Pucelle, birth place of one of the most celebrated saints in both non-magical and magical France, Jeanne d'Arc. The outrage of Magical France's population, who revered Jeanne as the Savior of France on an equal level as Brits saw Merlin, was such that ICW had to intervene and stop French Wizards and Witches from practically invading England to deal with Death Eaters.

But they didn't stop them from defending their land and attacking Death Eaters whenever they were in France, and Voldemort had learned to rue the day when he had foolishly thought of expanding his influence into France. Still, that didn't stop Death Eaters from spreading death and fear whenever they were in France, taking lives of over 100 non-magical people from all over France and some 32 French Wizards and Witches. Miniscule numbers when compared to England, but French never forgot them, and wouldn't let Brits forget them either, since it was British Ministry's duty to prevent Voldemort from ever coming to power. Needless to say, the relations between French and British Ministries and magical Countries had been cold and non-friendly, reaching near the same level as right after Hundred Years War, when Magical France had suffered catastrophic losses at the hands of British Wizards and Witches, Purebloods and even a great number of treacherous Houses of France itself. Had it not been for the Blessed Jeanne d'Arc and loyal patriotic Wizards and Witches of first generation, Magical France would've seized to exist back then.

Turning away from her historical musings, Aries Cecilia Black put down her ball pen, having finished her report on the patients suffering from effect of curses and hexes. A single move of her hand, and the filed documents and reports went into the files of the patients, allowing her lean back in her comfy chair and relax a little. Former member of House Black and a graduate of Ravenclaw, now a recognized specialist in magical medicine and curse breaking, not to mention the Lady of Exalted and Most Ancient House Pendragon, looked at the clocks, smiling a little at the fact that her shift was coming to an end. Her parents, Druella and Cygnus Black, had never approved of their daughter's ambition to become a medic, and her twin sister, Bellatrix, had thought her to be a fool for becoming one, when she should've just married a noble Wizard and went on to produce him pureblooded children for her husband and his House.

Aries scowled for a second at the memories of her now deceased parents and her older twin, with whom she had severed contact right after she married her beloved Arthur Galahad Pendragon, back then just a member of House Pendragon and only 7th in the line of succession. But life and fate can be just as unexpected as it can be cruel, when practically all of House Pendragon had been put to death by Voldemort for defying his will, leaving Arthur as an unexpected leader of the most revered, powerful and riches House in Magical France. In a single night, Aries had managed to achieve greater success than her sisters, having married and become the Lady Pendragon, and later giving birth to three children, Gawain, Morgana and Charlotte.

Even her parents couldn't predict Aries ever becoming Lady of the House that had once ruled Camelot, before having been exiled and nearly exterminated by Merlin himself, when Mordred Pendragon had tried to seize Camelot's throne from his charmed father and manipulating Merlin and Guinevere. Magical Britain and its Ministry denies everything of that, of course, but it still doesn't change the fact that after Norman's invasion, during which Mordred assisted William the Conqueror and killed Merlin, House Pendragon was exiled from Britain, and forced to survive for over a hundred years as mercenaries, ridiculed for losing all they had and despised by their homeland

Fortunately, House Pendragon had managed to survive and had been granted lands and noble status by King of France Philippe II in 1180, who had long heard of Pendragons' great prowess in battles and magic. He granted them his patronage and when King Philippe, with a great deal of help from Mordred II, then Head of House Pendragon, reclaimed Anjou, Normandy and Brittany from English, he granted the richest lands in Anjou to House Pendragon. In return for his help and granting lands to settle down, House Pendragon swore an eternal oath of loyalty to France and its people, pledging to fight and die for their new home.

House Pendragon had honored their oath and pledge for over 803 years, defending France and assisting it's Kings in battles and wars, as well as often serving as unofficial leaders of magical France in wars with other magical communities. Most prominently they've distinguished themselves as leaders and defenders of France in the latter part of Hundred Years War, when British Magical Noble Houses had openly sided with Henry V and took part in his war.

The conflict that would become known as Great Magical War, was the single most devastating and terrible magical conflict that lasted from 1415 to 1431. During those desperate and trying times, when even two thirds of Magical Nobility of France had sided with invaders, House Pendragon under Lord Gawain II the Defender had managed to unite remaining nobles and enlisted a great number of first generation magicals, along with magical creatures of all sorts, like Veelas, Jotanns, Sirens and even Nephilims.

This legendary Lord had fought alongside Jeanne d'Arc, pledging to her his army, and leading it to victory over Magical Britain under the banner of Fleur do Lys. Today, this man is remembered by Britain as the greatest, after Grindelwald and Voldemort, Dark Lord in history, while France praises the man as one of the greatest saviors of their country and the great reformer of Magical France, creating practically the new magical country, one where discrimination agaisnt first generation magicals and magical creatures would soon become a thing of the past.

After him and even after the Statute of Secrecy coming to the effect, House Pendragon had continued to be one of the most powerful Houses in all of Europe, with its many branch families spread throughout the world. Though still disliked by most British Magical Society, it is a highly respected and even revered House throughout the world, famous for its powerful magic, riches and just as notable and powerful members, with Arthur VII Pendragon, current Lord Pendragon, strengthening the position of his weakened House and avenging the deaths of his grandfather, uncles, cousins and father, along with his aunt, Euphemia Potter nee Pendragon.

Aries remembers just how broken Arthur was when he had heard the news that Voldemort had killed Euphemia in his attempt to assassinate the children of James and Lily, Harry and James Jr. The kind hearted woman that practically raised Arthur as her own son had died defending her grandchildren when the Dark Lord came for the boys. Though the news of his demise were welcomed by Arthur, they were not enough to heal his grief over losing his aunt and his godson, Harry, to whom he saw as practically his own son, whom both of them had grieved over to this day, as Aries was his godmother. Both Arthur and Aries hadn't forgiven James and Lily for practically forgetting Harry's death, after they've became known as parents of the Boy-Who-Lived, as proclaimed by Dumbledore after James Jr. had vanquished Voldemort.

Arthur and Aries didn't believe that load of bullshit for one minute, choosing instead to believe that it was Euphemia that killed Voldemort. This disagreement had let to Arthur and James falling apart, as well as Arthur and Aries quitting the Order of Phoenix, despite Dumbledore's insistence to remain. The two had decided to finally focus on their own lives, and their family, as well as to grieve in peace over the loss of the mother-figure and son in all but blood.

Aries wiped away the single tear from her eye, before rising up from her seat and conjuring up a mirror to look at herself. She looked like a complete opposite of her older twin Bellatrix: blond, practically snowy white, long silky hair, with deep warm blue eyes, fair skin, and curvaceous figure with slim waist, developed bosom and wide hips, all dressed in a doctor's attire. She was always considered to be the most beautiful of the Black Sisters in Hogwarts, and Aries had retained and enhanced her beauty after she married and became a mother. Equally beautiful as she was smart, many Wizards of first generation and of noble heritage had vied for her attention, but only Arthur, then a Gryffindor student, had managed to capture her attention and make her feel truly loved and cared.

Just as she had dispelled the mirror, door in to her cabinet swung open, and one of the nurses had ran inside, panting and with a panicked look. She immediately spoke up.

"Madam Pendragon, we have an emergency patient in the operational. He is in a critical state and Dr. Reinier doesn't know what is going on with him!" Aries immediately nodded and followed after the nurse.

"What are the symptoms and cause of critical state, when and by who was he brought here and do we know of his identity and family?" Aries immediately asked the nurse.

"The patient is a young boy, around 5 to 6 years old, but he is very thin, pale and malnourished. He is running a fever up to 40 degrees, along with having difficulties breathing and spasms, along with apparent organ shutdown. The cause is unknown. The usual scan hadn't revealed anything, safe that he seems to be a Mageborn, but that doesn't make sense, as he was brought in by the Aurors and stated to have caused a magical explosion in one of Paris' hotels. Aurors have informed us that he had arrived with three non-magicals, who are being searched for, but aside from that they only determined the name of the boy- Harry." Aries' heart skipped a beat for a second at the memory, but she steeled herself and let her medical side take over.

However, once she reached the operational, Aries' focus and resolve had evaporated just as fast as she had laid her eyes on the boy on the table. Her face had lost all color and her eyes were as wide as they could be, for she couldn't believe who it was on the table. It was a small, underweight and thin boy, with pale skin, showing burns on his hands and red and black lines on his skin, evidence of abuse. His hair was grey, though it should've been raven black, while his eyes were pale green. Aries froze in the place, before she finally spoke.

"Harry…"

* * *

**Three hours later.**

Aries had opened the door into her cabinet, stepping inside after performing an intense and extremely difficult operation to save her godson's life. It was the hardest operation she had to perform, with her godson's life at stake, with chances for his survival seemingly nil, but by some miracle, Aries saved him. Even the head doctor was simply astonished at the feat that Aries had pulled off, praising her endlessly, but Aries was far too exhausted and in somewhat of an aftershock to listen to him. She had practically wobbled out of the operational, hearing nothing and caring for nothing but getting to the floo place, with the freshest memories of Harry with her.

Aside from the clearest signs and evidence of continuous abuse and beatings by whoever had him, Harry was suffering from the severely damaged magical circulation in his body, also known as Morenna's Syndrome, named after the witch first discovering. It was a very rare and an extremely dangerous ailment for both ill and those around him, rendering Wizards and Witches unable to use magic properly and rendering them effectively Mageborn. The syndrome distorts natural magical circulation in a Wizard's body, forcing the magic inside the person to bottle up and cause internal damage due to overflow of magical energy, without ability to release it.

Similar to the formation of an Obscurus, but in Morenna's case, wizard couldn't release magical energy whether he wanted to do it or not. In the end, the magical energy would bottle up to the point of it bursting out of the person, causing a massive magical discharge, which could be devastating and even lethal to both the ill and people around him. The cases with Morenna's Syndrome were very rare, and there are very few successful treatments of it, but aside from that one thing that troubled Aries even more was the fact of this Syndrome being unnatural. It was impossible for anybody to get this disease naturally, only through curse, some unnatural circumstances or something like that could someone get this disease. Aries couldn't even think of anyone who could inflict such a thing on Harry, but not even that was the worst thing, oh no.

The reason for Harry's critical state was not just the magical discharge he suffered, but also the process of full possession by a shard of a soul, wedged inside his forehead! The shock of the discovery by Aries of such a thing had quickly passed, fortunately, and with the help of her fellow curse removers, Aries had managed to literally drag the shard of _Voldemort_ himself out of Harry. The dark being had nearly scared them all to bits, but Aries had steeled herself and successfully sealed the damn thing in a prepared phylactery, a container for powerful curses and hexes, specially created to contain such things when unable to fully dispel them. Though there were some doubts, the phylactery did what it was supposed to do with the soul shard and now the medics would pass this thing to the Aurors, to have it safely disposed of.

Aries didn't hear of that part, as she needed to now make the call to her husband, only to be brought out of her shaken state by his voice.

"There you are, Ari." Warm and caring voice of Arthur brought Aries out her stupor, her eyes looking now focused and seeing her husband and her two eldest children, Gawain and Morgana.

Arthur stood right in front of her, dressed in blue and white colors, standing just a little taller than her, but much broader shoulders. He had short, unruly blond hair, coupled with warm green eyes and a face somewhat similar to James Potter, but with more dignified qualities, giving him a look of a fairy tale prince. Her 14 year old son Gawain had his mother eyes, but father's face and hair, with his height reaching to his father's neck, as he was dressed in black and blue. Her 13 year old Morgana, or Morgan as she preferred, dressed in a red jacket with shirt underneath, jeans and sneakers, with her father's hair tied up in a messy tail behind and green eyes with her mother's face.

The moment Aries had laid her eyes upon her husband and then her children, her composure had finally shattered, as tears began to flow out her eyes freely. Without any warning, she quickly went to her children and brought both of them in a tight embrace, openly and loudly crying. Both Gawain and Morgan had no idea what could've caused their normally composed and calm mother to break down, but they didn't back away, instead embracing her. Arthur wasn't far behind, but he too was unnerved at the sight of Aries breaking down like this, as he knew that she was made of the sturdies stuff and could handle some things that even he couldn't face. He quickly went on ahead to her table, looking for the calming draught, when he heard Aries speak up.

"L-left highest d-drawer…" She sniffed through the tears, while she went on to kiss both of her children on the cheeks, making Morgan and Gawain blush. "Gawain, Morgana… Oh, sweet babies…"

"M-mom, w-would you cut it out already?" Morgan, red as a tomato, pleaded to her. "What the heck had happened to you?"

"We'll find out soon, dear. Ari, here." Arthur remained composed, as he handed to Aries the draught, which she drank in one go.

Once she had calmed down, Aries had seated herself with her husband and children, before finally telling them what had happened. In a matter of twenty minutes, Aries had managed to retell everything, not leaving out anything for them, even for the sake of her children. She and Arthur loved them both dearly, but they did make sure to treat them fairly and with needed strictness, to make sure they would grow up responsible, sensible and mature, unlike with James and Sirius.

To say that what they had heard was enough make their hair go grey would be an understatement, as Gawain and Morgan sat there motionless and pale. They understood why their mother had gone to both of them after seeing Harry, whom they considered a sibling of their own, in such a state. Gawain, after the end of the tale, went on ahead to hug his mom again, with Morgan joining in too, shrugging off for the moment her tough girl persona. Aries welcomed the embraces with tears, but her gaze was fixed on her husband, whose face first lost color like her, but now was gaining a crimson red tone of anger.

Pendragons, both Lords and Ladies, were often known for their strong-willed and even explosive natures, with their tempers often being hard to control. Arthur was no different, and now, after hearing that his godson was alive, and had gone through so much, he couldn't help but feel absolute rage and fury, something that he hadn't felt since hearing of his family's near complete demise. His godson, nay, his _son_ in all but name and blood was beaten, abused and literally thrown out of his family by James and Lily, and all because he was apparently _a Squib?!_ He didn't even know how those two could've come to such a conclusion, and he couldn't even imagine who or what could've hurt Harry to the point of causing Morenna's Syndrome. What he could imagine was what he was going to turn James and Lily into when he saw them both, because they won't be leaving the inevitable meeting in human forms.

But before that, there was something he needed to attend to first and foremost.

"Aries, Harry… Can we see him?" Arthur asked her in a shaky voice. "Please, I need to see him…"

"We moved him in to an extensive care after the operation, as he is far too weak to even wake up, but yes." Aries told them, as they stood up and moved towards the needed place.

It took them just a few minutes to reach the needed room, with Aries opening the door inside. The family stepped inside, with Gawain and Morgan following their parents right behind them, before freezing at the sight of the boy. Harry laid on the bed, his frame and face gaunt, thin and showing outlines of his skeleton, hair grey and unkempt, with tubes connected to his veins, providing needed potions and medicaments directly into his system. Gawain paled and felt sick at the sight, while Morgan couldn't handle the sight and ran out of the room.

"I'll… I'll g-go after her…" Gawain, too uncomfortable and troubled, said in a hollowed voice.

"Wait us in my cabinet, dear." Aries told him, knowing that her son and daughter best process it and not see any further today, allowing her son to go after Morgana.

Arthur didn't stop them, transfixed on the sight before him, as he took slow steps towards Harry's frame. The look on his face was enough to tell a thousand words without ever uttering them and all of them would speak of pain and anguish that Arthur was feeling for Harry. Both he and Aries had helped Euphemia raise Harry when he was born, while his real father and mother felt that it was far more important to play heroes and chase the bad guys at the behest of Dumbledore.

While Arthur and Aries too had been the part of the Order, they didn't let it stand in the way of raising their children. While Arthur had openly participated in battles and used politics to fight Death Eaters, his wife served as Order's main medic, alongside Madam Pomfrey, saving lives through her knowledge of healing arts. And even then, the two didn't abandon their children and even Harry, who had grown to be theirs, until Lily had her second son and finally took interest in being a mother, though until she was strong enough again to be a hero, as she and James now see each other.

Arthur and Aries loved Harry as their own, and if James and Lily didn't want him for some reason, then why didn't they give him to them to raise as their own? Everyone knew how dear Harry was to them, and House Pendragon never shunned their own, not even those born unable to cast magic, but Harry wasn't like that, as both Arthur and Aries saw him perform underage magic many times. He was a born wizard, and potentially quite powerful, and yet… Dark thoughts crawled into Arthur's head, thoughts that could only be dispelled if he were to receive the answers on them.

And he was bloody well going to get them from James and Lily one way or another.

* * *

**England. Potter Manor. Next day.**

The crack of apparition sound the arrival on the grounds belonging to House Potter of one Arthur Pendragon, who proceeded to fix up his blue coat before setting off towards the three storey mansion, surrounded by a garden and grounds, kept in order and pristine by House Elves. Caring naught for the sights, Arthur was making way to the front doors, his temper reigned in to an acceptable level, so as to not go ahead and accidentally kill someone. He needed answers from Potters, and he was going to get them, and then he will decide what to do with them.

One thing was clear though- Harry was going to stay with him and Aries, no question about that, not after seeing him and finding out about the people that took care of him these two years. He thought once that Lily was a smart woman, but to give away her eldest to none other than her magic-hating sister?! Did Lily suddenly go mental and forgot about the fact that Petunia despised everything about Lily and magic, and in that case, did she _really_ think that Harry would safe and sound with Petunia and her swine of a husband? Apparently she and James did, as they've not even bothered to check up on Harry and simply gone on ahead to send money to Dursleys, which they promptly spent on themselves and their son.

And that is all the while Harry was suffering from a lethal disease and was being beaten and abused like a damned House Elf! When he and Aries heard of it from the interrogator, Aries had to practically claw her hand into Arthur's to stop him from storming the Ministry in search of those monsters. He did promise to make sure that those freaks, like they called his godson, were to suffer horribly for hurting Harry, but now he needed to clear things up with Potters. He didn't announce that he was coming to them, nor did he warn anyone in England of his arrival, as he didn't think about it. He could've gone ahead and acted smart and strategic, but he was far too pissed off to do so. His draconian blood, as his aunt called it, was acting in full, and Arthur was following its call.

Once reached the doors, he simply swung them open, stepping into the painfully familiar room. Once he did so, one of the Potter House Elves appeared before Arthur.

"You are not welcome in here, Arthur Pendragon." He spoke up to him. "Master and Mistress are having guests and you must leave." The elf's arrogant tone didn't help calm Arthur.

"I'll leave as soon as I'm done with your Master and Mistress, now out of my way." Arthur wasn't in the mood to deal with Elves, but the elf stepped in front of him and stopped him.

"Leave and don't come back until sum…" A flick of wrist and the elf was sent flying into the suit of armor, after a silent and powerful _Flippendo_.

"Never like Elves, especially arrogant ones." Arthur muttered to himself, as he made his way towards the guestroom, from where he could hear happy voices coming.

Arthur had immediately recognized the voices of James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, along with that of Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, and what sounded like Longbottoms and Weasleys being there as well. It would seem that there were all needed ingredients for a full on scandal and disaster, and Arthur was going to enjoy preparing it. Without as much as knock on the doors, he swung them open and stepped into the large room, filled with the guests.

Everyone's eyes were immediately on Arthur, with a few wands as well, and everyone was shocked and surprised to see Lord Pendragon of all people stepping in. Just as Arthur had guessed, there were all the people he thought he heard, along with James Jr., Neville Longbottom and what seemed like a full on brood of Weasley children being there, along with Severus Snape of all people. Arthur didn't wait for anyone to break silence

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything important." Arthur simply stated, keeping his cool for the moment, as he moved inside the room. "Sorry for the uninvited visit, but I simply couldn't help myself, as I've found myself in a grip of a strong desire to pay you a visit, James, Lily, but I see that you have quite some company here."

"Arthur, that's a surprise to see you, cousin." James said awkwardly, though jovially. "You should've called that you were coming, like you used to…"

"Arthur, my dear boy, it is so good to see you come back to us all. It warms our hearts to see after all these years." Dumbledore spoke in his usual grandfatherly manner, but was immediately met with a cold furious look in Arthur's eyes, which was enough to scare him a little. "Arthur, is there something troubling you?"

"Quite a lot of things trouble me, Dumbledore." Arthur addressed him without his titles, riling him up somewhat.

"Don't speak to him so disrespectfully, Arthur!" Molly Weasley addressed him like he was her own son. "He is Headmaster, don't you remember?"

"He hasn't been my Headmaster for quite a long time, and I see no point in playing his annoying fantasy of being his eternal student, like you all do." Arthur said in a bit of an irritated tone, before he turned to the children. "Children, the grown up here need to have a bit of a serious conversation, so why don't you all go outside and play in the garden?" The tone in which Lord Pendragon had said it made it clear to anyone old enough to understand that he wasn't kidding.

In a minute, the whole brood of Weasleys, along with Neville and James Jr. left the room, with Frank and Alice Longbottom deciding to look after them, along with Minerva. All that stayed were quite curious and a bit on edge at the presence of Arthur. Sirius was the first one to finally break ice.

"Alright, Arthur, what the hell are you doing here, after all these years?" Sirius asked of him. "Didn't you and Aries tell us that you were done with England and the Order and wanted to be left alone and in peace, though with your Pendragon blood that's hardly ever possible."

"We did mean it, but it seems fate and God have other plans for us in regards with Britain and everyone else here." Arthur did see how practically all scowled at the mention of a Christian God, something that British Wizards and Witches didn't particularly like, as they saw Magic as a deity of its own and Merlin as akin to Jesus Christ.

"What foolishness, to actually believe in those Muggle superstitions. It's a miracle that your House isn't ridiculed in France for such beliefs." Snape stated with a snide, before flinching at the gaze of Arthur and wishing to excuse himself after meeting his eyes.

"It's not such foolishness, at least not the same as seeing Merlin as a God and worshiping him as one by your entire country." Arthur retorted. "And do keep quiet, Snape, unless you wish for me to finish our duel three years ago."

"Arthur, my boy, please be civil and explain to us what has brought you here to us all?" Dumbledore stepped in to placate obviously angered Lord Pendragon. "And you must let go of what Severus may have committed, since he had been pardoned and served our Order as an agent, as you well know."

"I remember, and I also remember what he had done for Voldemort." The shiver went through everyone's spines. "Had he been in France, no amount of good deeds would safe him from death penalty, but that's beside the point. I am here because yesterday, I've come to St. Jeanne's Hospital with my children, to see why my wife was being late. What I found there is the reason I am here."

"Yeah? And whatever did you find there all of a sudden?" James asked in an agitated tone. "Find out that your little sword no longer operational?" He and the rest of the Marauders laughed at the vulgar joke.

"No, I found my godson there, abused, beaten and looking worse than death, but _alive_." The anger in Arthur's voice was barely contained, as was noted by everyone.

The look of shock on everyone's face was evident to Arthur, as the color seemed to leave some of their faces. Though he was a trained user of Legilimency, he didn't need to clearly see their thoughts and the fact that all of them were actually aware of the fact of Harry being alive, meaning that even _Weasleys _and _Snape_ knew of it! The gall of Potters and Dumbledore to claim to him that his godson was dead has now reached new heights. Lily was the first one to speak up.

"Harry? Arthur, d-don't be ridiculous. Remember, we told you th-that Harry is dead, killed by You-Know-Who." Lily tried to play off the ignorance card.

"Yes, Arthur, our dear Lily is right. I understand that you were close to the boy and may still mourn his death, but perhaps your mind is trying to tell you that you need to reconnect with him through his family, like with James Jr. and…" Dumbledore didn't get the chance to finish his tirade, as Arthur spoke again.

"Stop insulting my intelligence and start talking, because I literally have to hold myself back from taking out my wand and going on a rampage on all of you." Arthur's low, near animalistic growl was enough to scare them all, as such a threat was quite real. "My wife had to save his life yesterday, after he had a magical discharge in one of the non-magical hotels of France, courtesy of Morenna's Syndrome. And before any of you start spouting something about me being wrong, know that I've received confirmation from medics on his identity and from the people he was staying, the Dursleys." Lily, James and Dumbledore's eyes widened after hearing of it all.

"Is Petunia and her husband with son alright?" Lily asked suddenly, meeting with the raging gaze of Arthur Pendragon.

"She and her husband are in detention of Aurors, but the fact that you first asked of them, Lily, tells me that you don't even give a damn about Harry!" Arthur practically shouted at her, forcing James to take a protective stance near her.

"Watch your tone, Arthur, and of course we care about Harry!" He stated to him with anger, before he realized what he had done.

"So you did know that he was alive, and you have had the _gall_ to lie to me, right in the face?" Arthur asked of him, as he looked at them all. "Did all of you here know about the fact that Harry was alive and was with those monsters?"

"What monsters, Arthur? They are just Muggles, nothing more, and Harry is a Squib, so he would naturally be alright with them." Weasley Patriarch stated in an ignorant tone. "What would they do to him, and we didn't tell you because you and Aries would've just ignored him anyway, since he is a Squib and you are a Pendragon and…"

"And who was it that told you that Pendragons treat their Mageborns like trash, hm? Or did you all just assume that since I come from what you people call 'Dark" family, we throw our members out into the trash if they can't use magic like Wizards and Witches?" Arthur asked of him and everyone else. "Unlike with your archaic England, Mageborns, First Gens and Magical Creatures are treated just and equally and are not repressed in any way. Their rights are protected and stated in our Constitution, one that House Pendragon had helped to write all the way back in 1451!" Arthur stated with fire and passion in his voice. "And as for those _Muggles_, did you two daft idiots even know what they had done to Harry, hm?! They've beaten and abused him, he has _burns _and _scars_ on his body from it all!"

"Arthur, surely, you overestimate and jest..." Dumbledore tried to placate Arthur, but failed.

"I do not jest, Albus! You have lied to me about Harry, told me that he is dead and forced me and my wife to mourn for him, when we should've been saving him from those monsters in human flesh!" Arthur's magic flared up, cracking the windows and floor underneath him, allowing him to calm down. "But that's not even the worst thing that was done with him. That statement that Harry was a Mageborn is utter bullocks, as you British like to say, because both me and Aries have seen _plenty _of times Harry use his magic since he was two years old, and _you_ know that he was capable of magic too!" Arthur pointed his finger at James and Lily.

"Arthur, look, this whole thing may look bad, but it was done for a good cause and reason." Sirius had tried to intervene. "You see, Voldemort isn't exactly dead and he will be back, sooner or later, and only Jamie can stop him once and for all, just like he did that night."

"All I know is that Euphemia Potter had killed Voldemort, not a year old boy like you all seem to delude yourselves into thinking." Arthur stated in cold tone. "And just _what _damn good cause did you come up with to do whatever you've done with Harry? This better be something _really_ important, because otherwise I am not answering for myself and my actions."

"Arthur, my boy, I know that had been done to Harry could be seen as inhumane and even considered as dark, but it was done for the Greater Good of all people." Dumbledore spoke in his usual manner. "You see, that night when Dark Lord attacked, I had managed to determine that Euphemia had performed some form of powerful sacrificial magic, so as to shield her grandchildren from Voldemort, before being killed. When Voldemort had tried to strike little Jamie, the killing curse bounced off and struck him back."

"He could've gone on ahead and tried to use _Avada Kedavra_ on Harry first. I would've done that if I were him, and why in the world was he even after them both, Dumbledore?" Arthur demanded to know.

"There is a valid reason why he was after them, one that you will understand. There is a prophesy, one that was told by Sybill Trelawney, a Seer and a Divination Teacher in Hogwarts." Albus continued, before Arthur spoke up again.

"Sybill Trelawney?! You trusted a word of that fraud and False Seer of all people?!" Arthur was rightfully outraged after hearing of it. "That damn woman had nearly caused a death of my aunt Aurora with one of her bouts of 'divination', and you've took _her word_ as truth?!"

"She is no False Seer, Arthur." Dumbledore spoke to Arthur. "I can assure you of that, for I had seen how she preened into the future and revealed to me the prophesy that would put an end to Dark Lord. It spoke of a child, born when the July dies and that would vanquish the Dark Lord once and for all. A boy that had survived the killing curse sent at him, our dear Jamie. That is the reason why Voldemort was after Harry and Jamie, and that is the reason why we had to… use Harry to help Jamie." Dumbledore gulped, recalling what they had to do.

"Use Harry to…" Suddenly, it became clear to Arthur what Dumbledore meant, as if in the flash he recalled just how Harry displayed all the underage magic, while Jamie did not show any sign of having one. "Dear God, h-how could you do it to _your own son_, James?! Harry could've died from that thrice damned ritual, he nearly did!"

"We had no other option, because Jamie was the one to vanquish the Dark Lord and his magic was not developed fully!" James defended himself and his position. "It was either doing the ritual or letting everyone die when Voldemort were to return. Would you let everything die when you had the chance of stopping him?"

"I would've stood and fought him tooth and nail, but _never _sacrifice _any_ of my children in a Transferring Ritual!" Arthur roared, as he spoke the name of the ritual that they had used on Harry, now that he realized it. "There is a damn good reason why my family had refused to ever use that ritual again, and you know why!"

Transferring Ritual may sound innocent enough, but in reality it is anything but innocent and safe, as it is a ritual that was developed in House Pendragon over 600 years ago by one of Arthur's ancestors, Robert Pendragon. The story goes that Robert had a son that was a Mageborn and couldn't cast magic, so Robert had gone on ahead to develop a ritual that would grant his son ability to cast magic. It involved sacrificing a magical user to then transfer his magic into a recipient, with Robert using a first gen witch as a sacrifice. The ritual ended up killing the witch and later killed the boy too, with the story of it becoming public. Robert was soon dealt with by Lord Pendragon at time, Phillip Pendragon, who had captured him and personally executed him for his actions. Robert had left detailed notes of the ritual in Pendragon's library, which Arthur and James had found some years ago.

Arthur couldn't believe what he just heard: his own cousin, a man that was like a little brother to him, had subjected _his eldest son_ to that ritual! It was not just a crime of the highest penalty, but a literal sacrament against magic and life itself, as no intelligent being had the right to steal magic from another being. To do so would be like committing murder and stealing the soul of the murdered, and James knew of it! And he still did it… By every right, Arthur could go ahead and murder James for what he had done, as if it ever were to come out, James Potter and House Potter, along with everyone else involved had effectively signed their death warrants.

"James had shown me the ritual notes, and we had modified it all to make sure that Jamie were to get the magic and Harry was to keep his own, but when we had performed the ritual in Hogwarts… It left Harry as a Squib, as I had determined." Dumbledore said in a sad tone, ignorant of the fury rising in Arthur. "We knew what your reaction would be to that ritual, Arthur, and I take full responsibility for performing it, but you must understand that it was done out of good intentions and for the Greater Good, for Jamie is the only one to defeat the Dark Lord completely."

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And no Good can ever justify the horrific evil you had committed with Harry!" Arthur bellowed. "Did you even have the brains to have a professional medic check him after that damned ritual?! Because he didn't end up Mageborn, but instead was forced to suffer from damn Morenna's Syndrome! His magic was _literally_ killing him by bottling up and ravaging his organism without a proper way to be released out! Had Aries not recognized that Syndrome, Harry would've died on the operational table, or worse, _got possessed by the fucking Voldemort_!" The last bit shocked everyone to the core.

"H-Harry was being possessed?" Lily asked in a hollow voice.

"Oh, now you are interested in your son's, or should I say, _former_ son's life?" Arthur practically sneered at Lily.

"Arthur what did you mean when you said that Harry was nearly possessed by Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked quickly, realizing that he may've made a mistake with the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Exactly what I meant, you old goat! Harry had a shard of Voldemort's soul implanted right in his forehead, leeching off of Harry's unstable magic and growing in power, before it attempted to take over Harry's body yesterday." Arthur explained to them all what he meant.

"Oh dear Merlin, the boy must've been born dark if Dark Lord had tried to use him like that!" Molly stated in a shock, immediately regretting what she said, when she met with Arthur's eyes and her husband had to step between them.

"Call my boy dark or something like that again, you red haired cow, and I'll finish what my ancestor Gawain the Defender started with your traitorous House." Arthur made it clear that it wasn't _just _a threat, but a promise. "Fortunately, Aries managed to take the shard out of Harry and lock it in a phylactery. Right now, Harry is in extensive care, finally getting the treatment he so desperately needed, with my wife and the best doctors in all of Europe seeing to him. God wills, in a few weeks, he shall be strong enough to be moved to a more private and comfortable location." He saw the relief in the eyes of Potters, Marauders and Dumbledore.

"Then it means that Harry will be welcomed back in his real family and everyone will be happy and…" Dumbledore, finally recognizing that he indeed made a mistake with the Potter boys, now needed to have Harry Potter back where he could mold him.

But his plans were never meant to come to be realized, as he seemingly forgot just _who_ Arthur Pendragon was.

"And why in Hell would I _ever _even think about returning Harry to all you, _especially _after what you have done to him?" Arthur asked of them, his hand coming close to his wand holster.

"You can't just keep the boy hostage from his parents, Arthur." Remus told him. "Yes, what we all had done was a mistake and a bad one, but you have to let us make it up to Harry and forgive us for it."

"Yeah, we all here, safe for the Snape here, are Gryffindors and we always stick together, no matter what. C'mon Arthur, we know you are salty because we didn't tell you, but…" Sirius, an ignorant mutt that he is, tried to placate the dragon that was Arthur.

"Salty?! I am _worlds beyond _**SALTY!** You expect me to forgive you all for consenting to effectively an equivalent of murder of my god, no, _my son?!_" Arthur drew out his wand, with everyone else doing the same and standing up, with Albus pointing his Elder Wand at Arthur. "How I would enjoy burning the entire lot of you… But even if I did that, it would do no good to my son, especially when he needs a family that loves and cares for him." Arthur calmed down, as he put away his wand, forcing everyone to draw an easy breath.

"So, once he is strong enough, we will take him back home and…" Lily and James were already planning a reunion with Harry, but she was immediately stopped by Arthur.

"You don't understand, do you? Harry will _never _set foot in this house and will _never _again be used by you, not while House Pendragon draws breath." Arthur said in a low tone, making it clear what he meant, as he turned to James. "Before I came here, I made sure to contact _all _Heads of Pendragon Branch Families, as well as all allies of House Pendragon, so that if anything were to happen with me and Harry, you would have hell to pay for. And believe me, the Devil himself wouldn't be stupid enough to face off with half of Magical World. Along with that, I've checked family tree of House Pendragon, and found out an interesting detail about Harry, one that explains how he had been considered dead by magic." Arthur turned his eyes towards James.

"Arthur, please, w-we had no choice, and if the people were to find out that House Potter had a Squib for an Heir…" James tried to plead to Arthur, but Arthur was well past forgiveness.

"You Brits with your archaic traditions… Is it any wonder why you are seen and thought as you think about Mageborns?" Arthur asked rhetorically. "You could've just transferred the Heir status to James Jr., but you went even further, eliminated the weakness all together, so to speak. The purebloods like Walburga Black and Lucius Malfoy would be proud of you, James, but had Mama been alive, she would've died the moment she learned of you disowning your son through magic, name and even blood."

"Please, Arthur, let us make up to Harry and…" Lily had tried to plead again, but he simply shook his head. "Y-you can't keep us away from our son. Harry will want to come back to family, and we will take him back."

"Are you his family, Lily?" Arthur asked of her. "You and James have been so occupied with Order duties and being heroes that you've left Harry largely on aunt Euphemia and me with Aries. We raised him alongside our own children, watched him make his first steps and speak his first words. Hell, until James Jr. was born, he thought you were his aunt, not mother. Well, now you aren't even that to him, you can thank James here for that, and your own damn hubris."

"Arthur, I must insist that you return Harry to James and Lily." Dumbledore spoke up. "If Harry really is capable of magic, he will need to be trained, readied and brought up in a correct and right way."

"So as to be a loyal little puppet in your schemes, like all of them?" Arthur sneered at Dumbledore. "Harry won't be anyone's puppet, no one's toy anymore, and I'll see to that personally. He holds the draconian blood, the blood of King Arthur, Mordred the Avenger, Gawain the Defender and dozens of great wizards and witches of proud name Pendragon. And Pendragons never abandon their own blood alone for the wolves. Make no mistake: should any of you, _ever_, make a move against Harry, you can consider yourselves sworn enemies of my House. And you all know what my House does with such people, even if they are of our own blood." Arthur stated to them, making sure that everyone knew that he was dead serious.

It was no secret that House Pendragon, perhaps even more than any other House in Europe, made sure to eliminate their foes and enemies with extreme prejudice. Even Merlin didn't escape that fate, as even after defeating Morgana Le Fay, her son Mordred had personally saw to his death, reportedly having decapitated him with his father's sword, Caliburn. This had set the trend for his descendants to follow, as throughout the ages, hundreds of wizards and witches found their lives cut short at the hands of Pendragons. Gawain II Pendragon is particularly infamous in that regard, having personally eradicated up to seven Noble Houses during the Great Magical War. Arthur continued the trend, driving to extinction French branches of House Malfoy and completely eradicating House Lestrange and House Rosier in France, which had helped greatly to the Order.

"The only reason why I will keep quiet about what you have done is because, no matter how much I may hate you all, I would be leaving James Jr. without his loving parents, who went as far as to…" Arthur had no strength to say again what they did. "But remember: one wrong move towards Harry- and Azkaban will be Heaven compared to what I have in store. If he ever wishes in the future, I will not deny him the right to contact you, but only if it is not to harm him." With that being said, Arthur turned to the doors and began to walk towards them, having said his piece.

"Arthur, brother…" James had tried one last time to reach towards his cousin, but failed.

"You are no brother of mine, James, not after you've tried to strike your son out of existence." Arthur simply stated to him, before stopping near doors, having recalled something. "Dumbledore, you said that Voldemort was after the kids after he heard the Prophesy. Who was it that told him about it?" Had Arthur turned towards Dumbledore instead of facing the door, he would see Snape literally paling to his death.

"It was Peter, Arthur. Peter Pettigrew, he was the one who told the Prophesy to Voldemort." Dumbledore told Arthur, hoping that Pendragon would believe it.

"I'll pay him a visit soon." Arthur promised both to himself and to the members of Order, as even though he was in Azkaban, Arthur would make sure that Peter suffered for his crimes.

As Arthur left the room and went towards the closest floo place, the present members of the Order immediately began to speak amongst themselves.

"James, we have to get Harry back in our family! What we had done to him… Can't we use our influence to put the pressure on Arthur and his damned family?!" Lily was desperate, as consciousness was beginning to eat at her. "He can't be as powerful as he claims! He wasn't like that in Hogwarts, from what I heard!"

"Lily, he is _that _powerful and even more influential that Malfoys, Blacks and us put together. Pendragons are practically royalty in France and are revered there as its defenders and the people that had shaped the very foundations of modern Magical France." James let out a defeated sigh. "Merlin's beard, House of Potter itself owes its current fortune to Pendragons, since my mother had helped sponsor my dad's business. Without her and Pendragons, we would be destitute. I will try to do something, but I doubt it will work, since French Ministry cares little to nothing towards Britain and us."

"Well, there must be _something _that can be used against them, right? Their House's history is brim filled dark wizards and witches, just that Gawain II the Butcher!" Molly Weasley suggested. "Only You-Know-Who had ever trumped that murderous demon in darkness and evil. Not to mention Morgana Le Fay and her bastard Mordred. That whole family is evil and Arthur has finally showed his colors. Don't worry, Lily dear, we'll have your son at your side in a jiffy, right Arthur?"

"Maybe not so soon…" He said in an unsure way, as even he knew that taking on House Pendragon as an enemy spelled disaster to any Noble House, Light or Dark.

"Even if so, we can't give up hope if we want the poor Harry back in the arms of his true parents and I will be sure to find a way for him to return him safe and sound to the side of Light." Dumbledore promised to them. "Even Arthur and House Pendragon aren't all mighty and undefeatable, I'll find a way, Lily, James, I assure you." The two parents in question looked at him with relief and near divine reverence

"Headmaster, once Arthur gets to Peter, he will find out…" Snape had reminded to Dumbledore, who calmed him down.

"Not to worry, Severus. All Arthur will find is Peter's body, but nothing of his soul or mind." Dumbledore assured him, as it would be disastrous for Dumbledore if Peter were to get in Arthur's hands.

Albus knew that Arthur's massive wealth, which made even Malfoys look like poor potters, and extensive network of connections, would allow him to get not just an access to Peter, but also his extradition to France on for crimes against House Pendragon. If it were to happen, Peter _will _talk and reveal that he spied for Voldemort on _Dumbledore's_ orders, and revealed the location of the boys to Voldemort in an effort to determine who the real Boy-Who-Lived is. Though it was a treacherous thing to do, Dumbledore had done it out of good intentions and with the thoughts of Light in his mind and heart, and to finally put an end to Voldemort, but Arthur and others wouldn't see it that way. He had managed to keep Peter quiet throughout the years, but once Arthur had him… The rat would have to die.

And Harry _will_ have to be returned in England, where Dumbledore will be able to mold him and James Jr. into what he needed: weapons of Light against the Dark. Now it was unmistakable that it was harry who was marked by Voldemort as his equal. He was a fool to have not seen such a thing, and now he had to fix the mistake as quickly as possible. It was good thing that he had never revealed the Prophesy in the fullest and truest form to anyone, and so still could convince everyone that James Jr. was the prophesized vanquisher of Voldemort. He would have to keep up the charade for the time, until he secures Harry and trains him himself to die and weaken Voldemort enough for Albus to finish the job. He couldn't let anyone bear the burden of being the one to take down the most evil of Dark Lords of all times, only he could do it and will, for he is the Leader of Light and would carry whatever burden needed for the ultimate victory.

Just as he and Gellert had always said, for the Greater Good.

* * *

**Several hours later. St. Jeanne's Hospital.**

Arthur stepped out of the floo portal, having finished up the business he had in the French Ministry, such as securing Harry citizenship of France and Magical French, not to mention being appointed as his magical and formal guardian. Though he had more than enough money to buy almost anyone in the Ministry, it did help that the Minister of Magic, Eduard de Brienne, was also a personal and close friend of Arthur without even a single knut used in securing his support.

A single conversation, three glasses of cognac and one call into the Department of Citizenship and Rights, and Harry was now a full-fledged citizen of France. Now all that remained was for him to get well and move to Château de Pendragon, home of House of Pendragon, where he would be officially adopted into the House Pendragon as its full member and son of Arthur and Aries. He had the support of his relatives from Branch Families and since Harry was officially disowned by House Potter, there wouldn't be any trouble.

Once he was past the reception, he soon reached his destination, which was Harry's room, near which he found his wife, looking at him. Once he got to her, he placed a kiss on her cheek, making her smile, before she spoke up.

"How did it go?" She asked of him.

"They got the message, and it was them that had caused the Syndrome." Arthur told to Aries, who widened her eyes. "It's the damned Transferring Ritual that did to Harry… James and Lily agreed to it, to give Harry's magic to James Jr., since he is something of a messiah to them now, because of some rubbish of prophesy told by Trelawney… I'll explain everything back at home, how is Harry?"

"Better, far better than yesterday when we just operated him." Aries told him. "Nurse said he woke up and I was about to go in when I saw you. Shall we?" Arthur smiled to her, as he opened the door to her.

"After you." Aries stepped inside, followed by her husband after.

When they got inside, they saw that Harry was still pretty pale and thin, but his bones weren't as prominently seen as yesterday and he was finally regaining color of his skin. It was good sign, showing that he was getting better, and it was added up when he opened up his eyes and looked upon Arthur and Aries standing near him, forcing him to blink a couple of times before realizing that it was the dream. Aries had to contain her tears at the sight of her son looking at her, while Arthur smiled reassuringly to Harry.

"Harry, it's alright. You are safe now, no one will hurt you." Arthur assured him. "Please forgive me and Aries for not looking out for you. Had we known... It doesn't matter anymore: we won't let anything happen to you again, and we won't let anyone hurt you like those monsters had done to you."

"Y-yes, Harry. You just rest and get better, I will look after you while y-you are here. A-and once you are strong enough, y-you'll move in with us. Gawain and Morgan are anxious to see you and Charle can't wait to see her big brother." Aries smiled through tears, before both she and Arthur saw that Harry was trying to tell them something. "Harry, is something wrong?"

"Mama… Papa…" Was all that he managed to say, with tears of happiness coming out of his eyes, and it was enough to cause Aries to once more lose her composure and even make Arthur shed tears.

Their son was alive and he was going to be alright, and that was all that mattered to them.

* * *

**I did not think about making another HP fanfic, especially while finishing up my first one, but then again, I am a flimsy ass writer who changes his mind just as fast as Luna dreams of something unreal and fantastic. Anyway, this is a bit different fanfic then the Dark Prince Rises, as here it will not be focused on Harry gaining ultimate power and all that, but will be focused on House Pendragon and Harry's integration into it, as well as his role in the war agaisnt Voldemort.**

**I warn you immediately, that Harry will not be an Heir or Lord of Houses Potter, Peverell and Fleamont, as he lost those rights, and he will not be the Lord Pendragon or even Heir Apparent, that is Gawain's title. He may obtain a title and Lordship of some other House, but it will be much later, until then he will only be a member of House Pendragon and fourth in the line of inheritance, as he has Gawain, Morgana and Charlotte before him in the line of succession. And no, there won't be Game of Thrones style murders to get ahead in inheritance game.**

**Now, general information about House Pendragon, so as to better understand what is the deal with them being in France and all that. In short, this House had been effectively betrayed by Merlin who took control of Camelot through Arthur and Guinevere, having murdered Morgana, but in turn was murdered by Mordred, true Heir of Arthur. However, William the Conqueror didn't like the idea of a Wizard King and as to get the British Magicals on his side, he betrayed Mordred and exiled him out of England, winning British Magicals support.**

**It was expected that House Pendragon would die out, but instead they survived, through mud, blood and humiliation, but they did survive and ended up drawing attention of Philippe II Augustus, a historical King of France and one of its best monarchs. In short, the dude saw that House Pendragon knew how to kick ass, was damn powerful, even more stubborn and hated the Brits even more than French liked to cuck 'em (Lancelot and Guinevere, wink wink!)**

**So he had a bright idea: hire them up to help him with Brits and their Wizards in getting back his lands, grant them lands and make 'em his vassals. And it worked even better than expected, as after that Pendragons went on to become not just most loyal, but arguably the most powerful Noble Magical Family in France. They had both good and bad wizards, but always had powerful and strong members, and they had proved multiple times that they aren't pushovers. They are beasts, dragons that ain't gonna let anyone fuck them up, and if someone does… Well, let's just say they've just fucked themselves in the arse and vagina with lit up dynamite. Voldemort certainly did, even though he was male, but he still felt that one in both places. This House got no qualms with marrying Muggleborns or Magical Beings, like with Veelas or Nephilims, also known in this universe as Succubi, Incubi or Demons and Fallen Angels (my own creation, don't look it up in Potterwiki.), plus they, along with all Magical France, are pretty good with Non-Magical world and it's tech, with their own TV and other goodies being available to them. In short, unlike with Brits, Pendragons and French can live well in Non-Magical World and not draw attention.**

**Now Aries is my own personal and sudden idea on a theme like: what would an opposite of Bellatrix look like? And though Andromeda is a pretty good pick, I decided to instead of making her Arthur's wife, why not make just one more Black Sister? So, she is intelligent, kind and calm, having played the role of big sister to both Andromeda and Narcissa, usually a pacifist and a medic, but if need be, she can certainly give even Bellatrix a run for her money. **

**After all, she may not be Slytherin graduate, but she gotten into Ravenclaw for her intellect, wits and knowledge, and the only thing that is more dangerous than a derange psycho in my book, is an intelligent, calculating medic that knows more on how to kill you than you've eaten chicken. Aries' looks are based off Irisviel von Einzbern from Fate/Zero, but with not as pale skin and with blue eyes, or you could think of her as more mature looking Narcissa without scowling face and easy on the eyes.**

**As for Arthur, he is a Gryffindor that embodies best and worst of his House: courageous, righteous and honorable, but also at times inflexible, rash and quick to anger. He isn't stupid and isn't one to be easily manipulated, but he isn't Slytherin material either, as he isn't too ambitious for the sake of power and prestige, when he already has it. But he is a man that you can depend on helping you out without asking anything in return if need be. He is as brave and courageous as Gryffindor and is caring and generous as Hufflepuff, and he cares for his family more than anything. **

**His mother died giving birth to him and his father was broken by her death, so he was largely raised by Euphemia and Fleamont Potters, and wasn't even expected to become an Heir or Lord Pendragon, as he had three uncles, three cousins and a father ahead of him in line of succession, but then again, Voldemort did lit up that dynamite for something… He and Aries were in Order, and while Aries patched people up real good, Arthur messed people up real good. He is a recognized master of Charms and Transfiguration, with Fire charms and transfiguration being his bread and butter, while also being no slouch in Dark Arts and Runes, while also being a mediocre at Potions. **

**He can take a beating and will take it, but he will beat you up even harder, and he had fought almost the entire roster of Death Eaters, from Snape to Bellatrix, and even Voldemort on two separate occasions, though being nearly killed after each one of his duels with him. Anything below Voldemort is right to be afraid of him, with even Bellatrix suffering a defeat at his hands. In other words, stay the fuck away from this guy if you are his enemy, but if you are good with him, he'll be your best buddy.**

**Now, leave a review, suggestions, questions and so forth in the review or PM. As for Dark Prince, I am working out the epilogue for it, and with my university in play, I was unable to post for it when I promised. Can't guarantee anything, but that I will put it out soon, as well as an update for True Lord of Sekai.**

**Oh, and who do you think should Harry be dating and be in love with (and I can already see Fleur Delacour being practically everywhere)? Give your suggestion, or better yet, present your own OC as a candidate! Send me a profile of one and the ones I find most interesting, I'll make sure to include in the story if not as romantic interests, but as friends or rivals for sure. Oh, and I do want this not to be a harem fic, so I am getting back to my roots so to speak. I also take candidates from other universes as well, just so you know, but not incest this time, so no Morgan or Charlotte.**

**Oh, and before I forgot, what name do you think Harry would be best suited for him, once he gets adopted officially into House Pendragon? And before you start hating, just hear me out: he was effectively disowned by his family, used up as a battery and thrown away. I don't know about you, but I would want to erase any mention of having been with them, even change my name to get away from them. So, when Harry is officially adopted into House Pendragon, he will have a new name, and I want your opinions on it. Something sensible, with a Pendragon feel, like with Knights of the Round Table, or something close to France, you get the gist. Would like to know your opinion.**

**Next time: Welcome to the family; House Potter and Dumbledore on the move; Power of Pendragons.**


	2. Chapter 2

**July 9****th****. Château de Pendragon.**

Harry stood before the mirror in his own room, with Aries Morgan and Charlotte standing behind him, both of them dressed in ceremonial robes and gowns, much to Morgan's chagrin. Charlotte looked much like her own mother, with blue eyes, but with father's hair color, tied up in a braid. She was less than month younger than Harry, but she liked to think him her big brother. He himself was currently being made ready by one of the Nephilim maids that were in an employment of House Pendragon, as she fixed up his white robes for the ceremony. Unlike most Noble Houses in the magical world, House Pendragon had never utilized House Elves as a service staff for their needs, instead relying on either humans or magical beings close to humans.

Since the end of the Great Magical War, House Pendragon had begun to employ Nephilims in to service to them. These magical beings are considered to be related to a certain degree to Veelas, Sirens and several other races, but they are also quite unique. Unlike Veelas and Sirens, they do look much like humans and do not reveal a second, natural look when angered, and can quite easily be mistaken for humans, though quite beautiful and handsome with a much wider range of hair and eye colors. The main differences are the big black feathered or bat-like wings, capable of covering an entire person with them, and at times pointy, elf-like hair, and horns on their head, like with Oni in Japan, along with a much extended lifespan and different aging process. Such features they can easily hide away from both magicals and non-magicals when they wish.

Nephilims as a race are just as diverse as humans in their characters and tempers, so you can meet every kind of character with them, but there are some unique traits of their own. They are known to have stronger emotions and need to keep them in check, along with having far less inhibitions then humans when it comes to amorous affairs. This particular trait had created their reputation as depraved and hedonistic creatures, with Church naming them Succubi and Incubi, who absorb life essence of humans to live through intimacy. A bold lie, one that Nephilims deny, but they do admit that they are quite amorous and hedonistic when compared to humans, but at the same time, they can be paragons of loyalty and honor, as Nephilims _never _forget a good deed done to them, as well as a bad one.

They possess strong magical abilities, allowing them to cast magic without wands, though they have to train to do so and expand on their experience to properly use their powers, much like humans. Nephilims also have the ability to attract attention and charm others, but it's nowhere near as strong as Veelas', and is meant more to draw interest of a specific person, as Nephilims can control this are capable of living hundreds of years, with the age of young adulthood being considered 60 years, while age of 600 is considered to be an age when a Nephilim is considered to be old, though they may not show it, as their bodies do not show any sign of old age, if a Nephilim wishes it.

This long life period is off set by the fact that Nephilims do not have the same fertility as humans and other creatures, because of which it is highly possible for Nephilims to have children with an age difference in centuries. They can breed with other races of close relations, most prominently humans, and in such a union the race of a child depends on its gender and a gender of a Nephilim parent. If a Nephilim is male, then a boy will be Nephilim, and if not, then it will be of the race of other parent. Children of Nephilims that didn't inherit their race are confirmed to have stronger magical abilities, and because of that many Noble Houses often take a Nephilim into a family via marriage. Along with these traits, Nephilims have physical strength rivaling that of Vampires and are capable of keeping up with them in speed, along with being able to fly.

Throughout the ages, Nephilims have suffered a great deal, having been hunted down, prosecuted and practically driven to extermination several times by either Church, simply non-magicals and even magical people. They were hunted down by Wizards and Witches because of their unique abilities and desire to produce stronger offspring with them, or for their feathers, which could be used as cores for wands. This continued for centuries, until Gawain II Pendragon had made a pact with many Nephilim Houses and Clans, promising them safety, equality and freedom from prosecution if they assisted him in driving back Brits.

They accepted the deal and proved to be an incredibly versatile and dangerous enemy, earning their place in Magical France and respect they are given now. Nowadays, the majority of the Nephilims' population in entire world resides in Western Europe, where they can enjoy full equality in rights with humans. French Ministry even actively employs them in their various Departments, from Cooperation and Diplomacy to Magical Law Enforcement and Research and Development.

Many Nephilim Houses and Clans also have businesses and enterprises in both magical and non-magical worlds. And House Pendragon has been known to employ Nephilims as maids, butlers and general service staff, which, given the history between House Pendragon and Nephilims, is a position of honor and trust. This is only trumped only by the fact that at least 5 ladies and 2 lords of House Pendragon had taken a Nephilim for a spouse, with Lord Arthur's late mother being a Nephilim herself.

Harry felt a bit out of place and awkward, as he pushed aside a stray lock of his grey hair, while looking at his reflection. Aries noticed that and spoke up.

"Are you feeling alright, Harry?" She asked gently, getting his attention. "If you want, we can suspend the ceremony if…"

"No, I am alright, Mama." Harry said truthfully, as he finally felt well after having been fully healed. "It's just… I don't think that all the others will want me in the family. I mean, after all that had happened..."

"Hey, get those pessimistic ideas out of your head, brother." Morgan said to him, flashing him a smile. "You shouldn't give a damn about what all those Branch Heads think. What's important is that Dad's word is law and if he says you are his son, they will say you are without missing a beat!"

"Yes, and why wouldn't they like you, big brother?" Charle asked in a cute manner. "Mama said that all of them agree with Papa about you being in our family."

"Well, it's just that I heard that those were kicked from the family, like me, are looked down upon and not liked by anyone." Harry said in a saddened voice, with Aries understanding what he meant.

"Harry, it is true that those disowned and exile from a Noble House is usually not such good people in case of magical people, as it used as a punishment for betrayal or other very serious crime." Aries admitted to him, as she stepped closer and put her palm on his cheek, giving him a warm smile. "But you are not bad person. You are a good boy and what was done to you was the real crime, and all Heads and Lords out there know it. There is nothing for you to fear, Harry, just do as we've practiced, and then we all will be family in magic and blood."

"But does it have to be so… public?" He asked of her, as the maid was finally finished, and after a nod, she quietly left the room.

"I'm afraid that it has to be, Harry. Ritual of Blood Acceptance is one of the most ancient and rarely done rituals, as magical adoption is a very serious and delicate matter for any House and must be taken very seriously." Aries explained to him. "It is an important event, just as important as a birth of a new member of family. The people that have come today, members and leaders of Branch Families of Pendragon, are here to witness a new member of House being essentially born into it. They do not wish to stop you from it, Harry, they wish to instead greet you and embrace you as one of their own. House Pendragon and its Branch Families and successor Houses stand together in peace and war, and unlike my own House Black, know that familial bonds and love matter just far more than cold and cruel pure blooded calculus. Now, are you ready?" She asked of him with a smile, with Harry nodding to her.

"Very well, let's go." With that said, Harry began to move towards the door leading into the ballroom. "Just do as we've practiced and don't worry. Nobody there wants to perform any miracles, Harry. They are there to support you."

Harry nodded to her, as the doors opened up and Harry stepped into the ballroom of Château, decorated in white and gold and capable of rivaling the splendor and riches of royal palaces. In there, a large group of Wizards and Witches awaited, all of them members of House Pendragon, either bearing the name of the House, or being a member of the Branch Family, or Successor House as it is also known. Over the centuries, members of the main branch of Pendragons had gone on ahead to start up their own families and Houses either in France and other countries, or even in other continents. While in many cases such successor Houses prefer to be independent and could be even at odds with their progenitor House, there are just as many that remain closely connected with the originator House, like with Pendragons.

Harry was looked upon with curiosity and interest, and yet none had even the slightest hint of malice or deceit in their eyes. He was afraid that these people would be hateful of him, because he was a Squib or because he was kicked out of Potter Family, but that wasn't the case. He could clearly see sympathy in the eyes of many Witches, with some even looking at him with wide eyes of shock, as though he had regained much of his weight and was far healthier than before, he still looked quite pale and even somewhat gaunt, along with having grey hair. Harry clearly saw how one of the Witches had to be supported by her husband at his sight, while a hanker was near her eyes to stop tears.

Wizards were of stronger stuff and though they put up a strong look, they didn't look imposing, simply supporting and strong. Harry saw that they too looked with sympathy at him, while also noticing anger in their eyes. For a moment he felt somewhat scared when a particularly large and well-built Wizard looked at him, causing him to near freeze out of fear, but the man's gaze quickly softened when met with the frightened look of a child and he flashed reassuring smile to Harry. Aries had her hand on Harry's shoulder, reassuring and supporting him as well as letting him know that she was here and with him.

The crowd dispersed as they walked towards a large and wide magical circle drawn upon the floor, with many runes and inscriptions written upon the floor. Inside the circle stood Arthur also dressed in ceremonial garments, with another wizard standing near him and dressed in black and white robe and holding a golden chalice. He looked quite old, seemingly Dumbledore's age, with a long, well-kept grey beard and short hair, with grey eyes. He looked appraisingly at Harry, before giving him a quick nod so as to reassure him, with Harry feeling a little better when the old man's gaze softened the second after he saw him. The Circle was surrounded by the Witches and Wizards, but aside from Harry, Aries, Arthur and the old man there were six more people, 3 Wizards and 3 Witches, standing just at the edges of the circle. From what Harry knew, they were the Heads of Branch Families and they were here to witness him, as Arthur told him.

Once he took the position in front of Arthur and Aries took the position at her husband's side, the old man spoke.

"Sons and daughters of House Pendragon, children of the draconian blood, we have gathered here today to witness a new member being born into the main family of our House. This child was casted away by his parents and deprived of magic granted to him by his House, but the blood of Arthur and Mordred flows in him. Blood of Euphemia Pendragon, daughter of Raymond Pendragon, flows in his veins, and so our duty is to see to a descendant of Pendragons brought into a House where his grandmother was born." The old man spoke, as he took out a ceremonial knife out of his robes. "Those that wish to give him their blood and be his father and mother name yourselves before magic and give this child your gifts."

"I, Arthur Galahad Pendragon, Lord and Father of Pendragon name, gift you my blood and my magic to you and proclaim you my son before my House, the God and the Magic." Arthur brought up his open palm, with old man cutting it and drawing blood from it into the chalice, which glowed a little at the offering.

"I, Aries Cecilia Pendragon, Lady and Mother of Pendragon name, gift you my blood and my magic to you and proclaim you my son before my House, the God and the Magic." The old man did the same thing with Aries, with chalice's glow intensifying, before he had enough.

"Proclamations were sounded, blood and magic offered, have the witnesses saw it happen and confirm the deed done?" Old man spoke to the surrounding witnesses.

"I, Francis de Beauclerc, have witnessed and confirm the offering being made and may magic confirm my word." A tall, black haired man with blue had stated with strength.

"I, Isabella d'Estrella, have witnessed and confirm the offering being made and may magic confirm my word." A young, beautiful brown-haired Lady with jade eyes stated with sympathy.

"I, Robert Delacour, have witnessed and confirm the offering being made and may magic confirm my word." A tall noble looking man with short blond hair and blue eyes stated.

"I, Elena Romanov-Pendragon, have witnessed and confirm the offering being made and may magic confirm my word." A strong looking Lady with short black hair and blue eyes stated with an eastern accent.

"I, Wilhelm von Weissen, have witnessed and confirm the offering being made and may magic confirm my word!" The man that had originally scared Harry said with power and boom in his voice.

"I, Juno Medici, have witnessed and confirm the offering being made and may magic confirm my word." The middle aged Lady with red hair made into a braid stated with grace, with the old man confirming it all, as the cup's glow intensified with each word, before stabilized.

"The witnesses have confirmed and witnessed the offering done." He turned to Harry and extended the chalice to Harry. "Now, child, take the gifts of blood and magic, and may they become your own, as they become your parents."

Harry took the chalice with his small hands, feeling the gazes of everyone in the room on him, but his parents looked at him with support and reassurance. He knew what was to happen and after gathering his strength, he took the chalice to his lips and drank from it. Coppery taste entered his mouth and throat, but there was also something else in it, something otherworldly and beyond what Harry could understand. The moment it all reached his stomach, his body felt stronger, like every fiber of his being was empowered and it seemed like magic flowed through every cell in him.

He finished and looked upon the old man and his parents, noticing much to his astonishment that his eyesight was perfect, not even slightly blurry as before, as he could clearly see his now real parents smile at him with Aries having tears of joy. The circle around them glowed in a silvery white light lit the room with its shining, before seemingly out of the purest light, above Harry formed first letters, before they became a full word, or rather a name. The old man smiled at Harry, gently taking the chalice and speaking up.

"House Pendragon welcomes its newest son being born into it, and grants you the name. I, Agravain Percival Pendragon, welcome you, Mordred Arthur Pendragon, into our House and Family, and embrace you with my love given to you." The old man stepped to the boy and hugged him carefully with a smile, before releasing him. "Let us all welcome the newest son of our House with all our love and warmth." And after that, the ritual was officially over, and Arthur with Aries didn't waste a moment to be the first to embrace their son, their Mordred.

They weren't the only ones who were eager to do so, as just as the ritual was over, a pandemonium ensued as practically all Pendragons wanted to get a piece of Mordred, with his now older siblings being forced to practically fight for a chance to hug him, while Charlotte had found her way to him first of all after their parents. For the next hour, Mordred had been hugged, embraced, kissed on the cheek and greeted by every single member of now his extensive and quite affectionate family, along with learning each and everyone's name at the same time. It took Arthur some time to finally reign in his family and other Heads, so to let Mordred finally get accustomed and calm down from all the excitement.

After at least a semblance of an order and decorum was restored, Pendragons had finally went on ahead to begin the banquet, prepared in celebration. Every now and then Lord or Lady would come up to Mordred, who stood near his parents and siblings, and speak up to him and introduce their own children, practically all of them being eager to get to know Mordred better. As Gawain told him in one of the quieter moments, this is how House Pendragon makes sure it's members making connections and friendships with each other. And as Morgan had told him, their House is as massive as it is tightknit, in her own words, and Mordred found himself liking this concept more and more.

Several hours had passed, with Mordred having spent quite a lot of time with most kids and their parents, until he had found his way to his parents, who were talking with one of the Lords that had witnessed for him. He stood there with who looked like his wife and a young girl, about his age, which had near platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, and looked like a smaller version of her mother. Mordred quickly recalled that the woman was called Apolline and daughter was called Fleur. He also recalled that she didn't really talk to him all that much and seemed not to like him. Arthur and Aries noticed their son and smiled to him, motioning him to come closer.

"Mordred, come here, son." Arthur and Aries put their hands on Mordred's shoulders. "Have you met Madame Apolline and Fleur earlier, Mordred?"

"Yes, Papa, and thank you again for coming. Your visit does us honor." Mordred spoke with gallantry and politeness, making Apolline want to squeal, while Robert suppressed a laugh.

"The honor is all ours, my boy. We are happy to be here for this momentous occasion, and to offer your support and warmth." Robert smiled to him, before noticing that his daughter seemed to look a bit cross. "Fleur, dear, is something the matter?"

"Papa, why was he accepted into House Pendragon, if you told me he was disowned by Potters?" Fleur bluntly asked, making Mordred flinch, while Arthur's smile faded a little, while Aries held her son closer to her. "Only bad people get disown or Mageborns, then why did they accept him as their son?"

"Fleur Delacour, that is quite enough of you, young lady! I will not have you being so impolite and rude to a member of our parent House." Apolline scolded her daughter, who immediately quieted down and looked ashamed. "Now, apologize to this young man and…"

"Madame Delacour, it is alright, I am not offended." Mordred said in a bit of a quiet voice, getting a surprised look from her and Fleur. "I was disowned because… Because I wasn't important to Lord and Lady Potter, not like my former brother."

"Not important, like…" Then Fleur realized what he said and immediately understood what kind of a mistake she made. "Pl-please forgive me, I-I didn't know and I thought… I thought that you were…"

"It is alright, Fleur." Mordred smiled her and nodded to her, calming the panicked girl. "They never were close to me, not like my real parents. I don't like what they had done to me, but I am very happy to be with my true family now, and I am looking forward to getting to know all people here better, including you." Fleur flashed red a little, with Arthur calming down and Aries smiling to Mordred.

"What a cute little angel you are, my dear sweetling. I think we shall be stopping by quite often, if our dear Fleur's blush is any indication." Apolline chuckled at her daughter's embarrassment. "And I do apologize for my daughter's rudeness earlier. We Veelas can be just as charming as we can be blunt and harsh in word." Mordred looked surprised at that one.

"Pardon, Madame, I didn't realize that you and Fleur are Veelas." That comment drew a surprised look from Fleur and a curious one from Apolline.

"Wait, you don't drool. Everyone else drools when they stand near me for too long." Fleur said in an amazed tone. "How do you do it?"

"Um, I don't know. Did I do something wrong, Mama?" Mordred asked of Aries, who shook her head at that.

"No, Mordred, you didn't. Fleur is simply surprised that you act like a proper gentleman before her." Aries chuckled, as she ruffled his hair a little. "Veelas, and part Veelas, are capable of charming people so much that they stop behaving like they should. Because of that, it would seem Fleur had few truly good people to talk to and play with."

"Oh, I see." Mordred said, before he turned to Fleur and spoke up. "If you feel lonely, Fleur, then you can come here at any time and we can play together. Would it be alright, Papa, Mama?" Fleur smiled at the idea while Apolline had a mischievous smirk on her lips, while Robert and Arthur had to suppress a laugh.

"I believe that would be marvelous, Mordred. Wouldn't you agree, Robert?" Arthur asked of him with a smile.

"I think I'll have to prepare myself to having my daughter moving in here one day if your son continues to be such a smooth cavalier." Robert chuckled, with Mordred and Fleur looked at him a bit confused. "You can come any time here, Fleur. Just be sure to ask Mama or me before you go."

"Thank you, Papa, thank you!" Fleur practically jumped in one place when he allowed it, while Apolline and Aries exchanged knowing looks.

"Something tells me, Aries, that we may find our dearest children growing inseparable before long." Apolline said with warm smile. "Who knows, our families may grow even closer in the future, if all is well."

"Let's not impose, Apolline, and simply let our children enjoy the blossoming friendship they have." Aries said with a smile, before noticing that Arthur was actively looking for something or someone. "Arthur dear, is something the matter?"

"Ah, no, I was just looking for Elena, to discuss the topic we've talked about." Aries understood what he meant, before Arthur turned to Robert. "Robert, may I ask you to entertain my dear Lady and Mordred while I am gone."

"Absolutely, Arthur, you can count on me." Arthur smiled to him, before leaving him and moving towards the Head of House Romanov-Pendragon.

A comparatively young Noble House of Magical Russia, it was formed in 1816, with the marriage of Michael Pendragon and Great Duchess Olga Pavlovna, a Witch and daughter of Paul I of Russia. When it was first discovered that she had magical abilities, she had been declared dead at the age of 2 and removed from public, raised in secret. She had studied in Durmstrang and graduated as one of its best students, before she met and fell in love with Michael Pendragon, third son of Arthur V Pendragon, and married. The two had formed, with the support and blessing of House Romanov, their own House Romanov-Pendragon.

The House was a significant power in Magical Russia, though not like it's French sibling, but it had managed to thrive in some of the harshest times of Russian history. The House had navigated its way through Revolutions, Soviet repressions and even Russian Ministry's near complete collapse during reign of Stalin. House Romanov-Pendragon had managed to escape being eliminated for its connections with the Tsar's family and is now one of the more powerful and important Houses of Eastern Europe, with influence that even Ministry of Magic in Russia has to acknowledge. And Elena, its current Lady and Head of Department of Diplomacy and International Cooperation, knows it.

Arthur saw Elena standing near the table, picking up a drink, before making his way to her and speaking to her.

"Elena, thank you for coming." Arthur greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You have no idea how much it means for me and Aries."

"Arthur, I am only happy to help and I am always happy to see you." She smiled to him. "When you told me about your godson and what had been done with him, I couldn't just stand and do nothing. Just between us, dearest cousin: it would seem that Dumbledore's continuous reign in ICW is coming to an unsightly end, if the newest Act of Impartiality is approved."

"A new act? You got my curiosity, and how does it impact Dumbledore?" Arthur asked of her.

"Without being too boring, it's basically an act that restricts power of Supreme Mugwump to only his office. Representatives from all countries will no longer be able to hold positions of power in their own Ministries, like Chief Warlock in Dumbledore's case. Same will go for Supreme Mugwump." Elena said to Arthur, sipping her drink. "The Act must have been inspired by non-magicals' UN, if you ask me."

"What is to stop Dumbledore from vetoing it?" Arthur asked of Elena.

"Too strong support for it, and also the fact of the Act being directed primarily towards the office of Supreme Mugwump, so he won't have much of a say in it. And once I've made a few calls, that старый козел (old goat) will have to sit quietly and not make a ruckus." Elena chuckled with Arthur, followed by her taking a glance at Mordred actively talking with Fleur. "Looks like your little boy's got himself an admirer already and a Veela at that one. Better watch out, or your boy might grow into quite a Casanova."

"I think Fleur will see to that never happening, if Apolline has her way." Arthur chuckled with Elena again, before recalling why he came to see her. "Elena, there is delicate matter I wished to discuss with you, and it concerns my son, Mordred."

"You have my fullest attention and discretion, Arthur." Elena understood that Arthur wasn't kidding. "Is it something concerning Potters and their Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Yes, it is connected to it." Arthur confirmed it to her. "I have to ask you, do you still have connections with the Seers and Oracle in Delphi? It is very important, trust me."

"Да (Yes), I still have quite a few friends there, plus a favor or two if need be." Elena nodded to him.

"Dumbledore stated that there was a prophesy made, one that is connected to both Mordred and his former brother, James Jr. It states that one to vanquish Voldemort is born when July dies, and Mordred, then Harry, and James were born on 30th July." Arthur told her, with Elena taking a glance at Mordred. "I need to find out if the prophesy could be avoided or denied, and if a person who made it isn't a real Seer."

"Arthur, if the prophesy is genuine, even if revealed or not, it will be fulfilled, no way around it, прости (sorry)." Elena was genuinely sympathetic. "But about it being genuine… Now that is a whole different story. I'm no expert on the subject, but from what I know, on every real Seer, there are a dozen of the fake ones. Is that why you asked me about Delphi?" Arthur nodded to her.

"Can you check, if Sybill Trelawney is real Seer or not through your connections?" Arthur asked of her, with Elena thinking for a second.

"Trelawney, Trelawney… Wait, you mean ту шарлатанку (that charlatan) that nearly made your aunt starve herself with eating only seeds? Да она же умалишённая пьяница, а не прорицательница (She is a mindless drunk, not a Seer)!" Elena practically shouted in her native Russian. "She's the one who made that prophesy? And there are people who believed it?!"

"She made that prophesy in front of Dumbledore." That was enough for Elena to understand what Arthur meant.

"He must be the only one who knows the full version, and it might be connected to Mordred more than to that Boy-Who-Lived. I'll do the digging and see what I can find out." Elena promised him, with Arthur looking relieved and grateful to her. "The Seers in Delphi should have a way of determining if a Seer is real or not, and if I manage to get their attention, they'll send a commission to check if that цыганка-прорицательница (gypsy Seer) is a real Seer or just a fraud."

"Thank you, Elena. If there is anything I could do for you…" Arthur asked of her, with Elena stopping him.

"That's what family is for: looking out for one another." Elena smiled to him. "And if you want to repay, just make sure that French Representative votes for the new Act, and we are even."

"Then I guess I better go and find Francis." Arthur smiled with Elena, as the evening continued on.

* * *

**July 12****th****.**

The evening was a complete success and everyone had left with the best impressions of Mordred, with quite some promising to pay a visit in the nearest future. Apolline with her daughter were the first to do so today, as they, along with Mordred and Charlotte were in the garden, while Aries was in hospital. Arthur wasn't surprised to see Robert's wife and daughter paying his family a visit so soon, as it was evident that in just one meeting, Mordred had managed to leave Fleur and her mother enamored with him to various degrees. It wasn't such a bad thing, quite the opposite, since Arthur knew how Fleur was feeling lonely because of her still developing Allure and didn't have many friends that would play with her, and company of Mordred was a blessing to her, and him as well.

His son, while healing and getting strong, was still scarred and scared a little, and he needed support and care to fully recover from what had happened to him. He and his family were doing the best they could, but aside from family, he also needed friends outside of it, those that he could play and be himself. Someone that would help him adjust to the world outside the house and family far better, and Fleur was currently helping Mordred and slowly aiding his healing process. If all went well and if the God wills, his son will be free of the nightmares of the past and there won't be anything in the way of him, Charlotte and Fleur to go study in Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in the next year, when they all reach age of 8.

Unlike in Hogwarts and several other magical schools, Beauxbatons' age of enrollment is actually 8, with the reasoning being that the children learn to utilize their magic early, as well as to learn how to navigate in the Magical World. For the first 3 years, they study the basics of all magical and non-magical related subjects, like mathematics, literature, history, and so forth. It allows the first gens to better adjust the world they now live in, as well as for all kids to connect to each other, as they are all in a single group, unlike with Hogwarts. Those three first years are essentially theory and basics, essentials to best navigate and act in Magical World.

When the 4th year begins, the students are sorted not into the Houses, based on their personalities and traits they have like in Hogwarts, but into faculties, each specializing in specific areas of magical education and offering in-depth and more concentration education in the areas, where students excel. The sorting process is done by the teachers and a special commission that goes through each student's records and determines where he best applies himself. After that, a student is sorted into the faculty, or in case when the student happens to excel in subjects that do not fall under one faculty, is offered a choice to choose which faculty he wishes to join.

Once the sorting is done, there isn't any form segregation between students, only differences in subjects they take. Along with that, Beauxbatons offers ample opportunities and ways of expanding one's knowledge past the faculty's program. That's not to mention numerous clubs, where students can something to do that interest them, in magical, physical or spiritual plan. There are Quidditch teams and games, with each team being essentially its own club where people go through tryouts and so forth.

With the absence of Houses, there is no need for a House Cup and system of points is centered on individual students, testing out their knowledge and studying. Such a system may seem absurd to someone who attends Hogwarts, but it is this system implemented over four centuries ago that had allowed Beauxbatons to become an internationally recognized best magical Academy in Europe. It has consistently produced capable and knowledgeable graduates in various fields of expertise, with the number of bachelors and masters coming out of there being second highest in the entire world.

The only reason why Arthur hadn't fully attended Beauxbatons and graduated Hogwarts was because of the desire of his grandfather at the time to make connections with Britain. He was essentially a tool in politics, exploited for the benefit of his family, and it was because of that he stayed alive when Voldemort had slaughtered his family in France. Thankfully, while education in Hogwarts had left severely lacking when compared to Beauxbatons' graduates, he was capable of filling in the gaps in subjects he wanted and earning his mastery of Charms and Transfiguration in France, with Aries following in his footsteps and also complimenting her knowledge with Beauxbatons' studies. Now Arthur and Aries were determined to see their children getting the best education possible and Hogwarts was definitely not on the list of the school they would send their youngest children in.

Arthur turned away from the thoughts about his children's future education and instead focused on the paperwork, concerning the various enterprises, businesses, ventures and other important matters of his House that needed to be attended to. Unlike what James and Sirius would like to think, being a Head of the House, especially one that had Branch Families, was a hard and meticulous full-time job, requiring extensive knowledge of economics, politics and other subjects. Arthur was essentially running an international corporation, or a kingdom if one were to look at it, and no kingdom or corporation survives without a powerful and educated ruler running it.

Arthur took a look at the document in front of him, studying it, before speaking out.

"Since when have House Pendragon been investing into cultivation of aconite?" Arthur asked out loud of his aid, a silver-haired woman with red eyes and dressed as a proper and elegant French maid. "I do not recall ever making any investments into it."

"Your grandfather and previous Lord Pendragon had decided to invest into the production and cultivation of aconite several months before his death." Grayfia Lucifuge, a Nephilim Head Maid and Personal Aid of Lord Pendragon, stated dutifully to Arthur. "It was done on the suggestion of your uncle Louis, who believed that monopolizing the main ingredient for aconite potion would be a profitable endeavor."

"Yes, except for the fact that this potion's price, difficulty in brewing and short lifespan far outweighs its marketability. Better cut our losses before they start to make a dent on our budget." Arthur wrote on the document needed instructions and passed it to Grayfia, before taking another document and studying it. "The value of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion's company shares has fallen and… Why Greengrass and Malfoy are suddenly the holders of 20 percent of the company each? That makes them the direct threat to James and I with our thirty percent each control packages, unless…"

"Unless it is Lord Potter that had been neglecting his father's enterprise and has begun to sell his share." Grayfia summarized, with Arthur agreeing to it. "Once Lords Greengrass and Malfoy secure the share that Lord Potter sells, they will be in a position to take the full control of the company, unless they are off-set by buying the remaining share, along with the shares of other holders." Arthur already formulated and wrote the needed document and passed it to Grayfia.

"Do it, we need at least 60 percent share of the company and fast, money doesn't matter. With this potion on an international market, we'll cover the expenses within a few months." Arthur let out a sigh. "Damn it James! I told him that this is a gold mine if properly mined."

"Unfortunately, Lord Potter doesn't possess the same business insight as his predecessor and your late aunt, and he is not as easily intimidated as you had hopped." Arthur looked at Grayfia curiously. "There is other news from Britain that you would be highly interested in hearing, milord. News, concerning young Mordred and your family."

"Go ahead."

"Concerning your attempt to get to Peter Pettigrew, I have received a letter from the British DMLE informing you that he has been subjected to the Demetor's kiss a week ago. He has been rendered incapable of independent action or thought." Grayfia produced the letter from one of the pockets, handing it to Arthur. "The decision regarding Pettigrew's punishment was made by Minister Bagnold personally."

"Strange, and just when I had sent the request for an audience, and a Minister herself approving it?" Arthur asked rhetorically. "Why do something like that to a relatively long convicted criminal, when it could've been done back when he was first caught? This may be Bagnold's decision on paper, but I sense Dumbledore's hand in this. Pettigrew must've known something that Dumbledore wouldn't want anyone else to find out. The question is what exactly did he know, aside from the Prophesy?"

"Perhaps the Prophesy itself is enough of a reason to render Pettigrew unable of revealing it?" Grayfia suggested, with Arthur nodding to her. "Speaking of the Prophesies, Lady Elena had sent you this letter." She handed another one to Arthur, who opened it up and read it.

_Dear Arthur,_

_I hope you are in good health and all that other socially needed stuff. I'll skip the pleasantries and get on with the point. I've contacted the needed people in Delphi and found out what I could. It would appear that the abilities of Seers are not hereditary as some other gifts, and for an Inner Eye, as they call it, to appear in one family several times is an extremely rare occasion, but not unheard of. _

_Anyway, it is however rarer than meeting a real life Holy Person, and that has gotten the attention of Oracle Conclave in Delphi. They are now going to investigate if Sybill really is a Seer or a fraud, so we should be expecting news soon enough._

_I've covered my tracks, so we won't be tracked, as precaution if Dumbledore decides to check who has made the noise. All he will find out is one of the victims of Trelawney's sights into the future, and these matters are investigated thoroughly and with extreme meticulousness. I'll keep you updated on the matter, so expect new letters soon._

_Your dear friend and comrade,_

_Elena Romanov-Pendragon._

_PS. Say hello to your wife and kids for me._

Arthur smiled at what Elena had written to him and put the letter away. If all went well, the Prophesy would be proven to be false and Dumbledore will be forced to admit his mistake, as well as lose the support he needs for his crusade against the Dark. Along with that, Arthur will be making sure that his son and family are safe and sound from his grasp, unless the old goat decides to take fate into his own hands and play god. And if he does, then he'll have to face the wrath of House Pendragon.

"There is one other matter that you must be made aware of, milord." Grayfia suddenly spoke up again, getting his attention. "The latest edition of Daily Prophet contains an interview with Lord and Lady Potter, along with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore. The topic of that interview is your son, Mordred." She produced the newspaper and handed it to Arthur.

He didn't waste time in reading it, and the moment he was finished, he had to suppress an urge to curse. He had expected them to take actions, even under threat of him revealing the truth about how their savior came to have magic, but he didn't anticipate them actually coming out and telling about it! And not only had they reveal that they did perform the Transferring Ritual, but they portrayed it all in the way that without it, Jamie would've died and England would be doomed. The stupidity of English was one thing, but to manage to justify the Transferring Ritual and its consequences on Harry, now Mordred, as a willing sacrifice by his parents and Harry himself… He didn't know if he should applaud or storm the Potter Manor and kill them all.

Of course Dumbledore and Potters with friends had presented everything as an extreme necessity, something done out of utter desperation and need, for the Greater Good of England and the World. And the public in England was buying it, as well as buying their now 'genuine' desire to reclaim their estranged son whom they believed to be a Squib. Oh they did mention the Morenna's Syndrome, but make it look like it was inflicted by Dursleys' treatment. Since the general opinion of Squibs in England was well known to be atrocious and poor, public saw no problem with sending Harry to Dursleys after disowning him. However, now that he was healed and saved from Dursleys, Dumbledore and Potters had presented to the people of England House Pendragon as essentially kidnappers of their son, whom they wished to have back. Oh the gall of these people, to claim Arthur to be a kidnapper and a dark wizard, who intended to make his son into the next Dark Lord, when he himself have fought Voldemort saving their lives! And that's not even mentioning how they've compared Aries to Bellatrix, practically making her into a maniacal and insane Witch like her sister…

In other words, Potters and Dumbledore have effectively made House Pendragon into a public enemy number one in England and wish to use it to get Harry back. Ministry of Britain promises them support in getting their son back, while Dumbledore promised to bring House Pendragon back to the Light and so forth. Arthur had to give credit where it was due: they've surprised and outplayed him by stripping him of his main bargaining chip, or so they may've thought.

The Daily Prophet was a newspaper only published in England, while considered to be nothing more but a cheap low quality tabloid trash in other countries, so everything printed by it was taken in with a great deal of skepticism. Arthur Pendragon was a greatly respected and decorated person in France, not to mention a Cavalier of Order of White Lily First Class, the second highest Order in France, trumped only by the Order of Jeanne d'Arc. He was a recognized and decorated adversary of Dark Wizards and Witches, and he will be able to prove that most of what is written in the Daily Prophet is a twisted and altered version of truth.

Then there is also the fact that Dumbledore and Potters think that Arthur actually gives a damn about his reputation in England or that the public support in there and Ministry will let them have a free reign over what to do with him. In France, as well as in majority of Europe and other continents, the opinion of Britain wasn't considered as important, or even remembered at all. The days of England's glory and power had long passed away and the influence of British Ministry and Dumbledore were far less than what they thought to still have. Instead of getting a victory, they've gotten themselves one huge problem in the form of House Pendragon now having carte blanche on retaliation on them.

"Grayfia, contact the newspapers and start scheduling interviews for me when they decide to start asking questions about this. Find out when Eduard has time to meet, and schedule us a meeting. And contact my manager in Gringotts and let him know about the Sleekeazy's operations, and that I'd like to find out in what financial condition House Black currently is, as well as how Potters are doing." Arthur instructed her, with Grayfia nodding to him "After that, once the manager gets the information, please find out when Juno is free for a visit. I believe she wanted to have her kids get to know Mordred a little better and it would be a good opportunity for him to make more friends."

"As you wish, Lord Pendragon." With that said, Grayfia went on ahead to complete her tasks, leaving Arthur to himself.

"You've sowed the wind, Dumbledore. You'll reap the hurricane for that." Arthur promised to him.

* * *

**Couldn't handle myself and here is the update far earlier than I thought I would post, but I couldn't help myself. Hope you like the more ceremonial approach to the magical adoption and how it is more important than just getting adopted and all that. Also, thank you all very much for your suggestions about Harry's new name, I've taken them all into consideration and I am deeply touched by your activity, and I am deeply sorry if your favorite wasn't picked up.**

**Now why did I pick up Mordred of all names? Several reasons, first of all an irony of sorts, the betrayed boy by his parents now bear the name of one of the greatest (supposed) traitors in literature. Next up is the lore of the House Pendragon I make also played a part, and in this House, name Mordred is quite respected and Mordred, that is son of King Arthur, is as respected as his daddy, if not more. I could've gone for Galahad (known as the greatest knight of the Round), but I decided somewhat against it. Let Mordred show to Brits that just because he has a cursed name doesn't mean that he himself is a demon.**

**Speaking of which, Nephilims are in essence, Fallen Angels and Devils from Highschool DxD, only powered down to the level of Harry Potter Universe and rolled up into one race. They are an improvement of my original idea of Devils in Dark Prince Rises, where I made a huge mistake of making a far too OP character and didn't know how to use it properly. This time, I believe I've learned my lesson and made them fit in better in Harry Potter verse. **

**Essentially, they are what Church and Mythologies called demons and angels, and have had a really rough history with the world. They have been nearly exterminated several times, and had they not made a deal with Pendragons, it is highly possible they would've ended up being eradicated by Church or Wizards. Here they may be powerful creatures, but not to the point of being world ending monsters, instead they are just more powerful than a run of the mill Wizard or Witch, but not so much that numbers can't get them.**

**Now as for the Branch Families and Successor Houses, they come from House Pendragon and still retain connections with it, as seen here. Now before any of you start reminding me about the fact of no incest here, allow me to clarify a bit here: these Houses had sprung up ****_a long _****time ago and had simply remained connected with House Pendragon over the time. Of course, Pendragon members and Branch Family members did marry each other, but only after a long period of time after establishment and when blood connections had withered away so to speak. **

**So, for an example, House Delacour and House Pendragon haven't had any members marry it in over a hundred and a half years, for your information. And don't start making it seem like it's a decided Mordred/Fleur fic (or Harry/Fleur if want), because I still haven't decided on the pairing and do await your suggestion.**

**Hope you approve of the idea about Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, modeled roughly after the modern system of education in our society, at least how I see it. **

**Review, suggest, question- I'll answer all I can.**

**Next time: Showdown in Château. **


	3. Chapter 3

**July 12****th****. St. Jeanne's Hospital.**

"I am sorry, Monsieur Davout, but am I being fired from here?" Was the only question Aries had after she heard a rather long speech delivered to her by the head physician of the Hospital.

She, much like her husband, had expected little to none of the effect from the interviews of Potters and their friends in the Daily Prophet, having read the newspaper this morning. After all, it was a well-known fact that Prophet was not an independent and impartial newspaper, and was infamous for being an unofficial Ministry's apparatus for spreading propaganda. The only place where that tabloid had much of an effect was in England and not much else in the world. So it was quite a surprise and a mild shock for Aries to find out that she was being fired from here by the Head Physician Jacques Davout, a rather old and respected medic. Aries Pendragon had believed the man to be impartial and professional, putting the safety and health of the patients first, his and everyone else's reputation last.

Though she didn't show it by her expression or even a move a single muscle, Aries felt herself getting enraged and feeling insulted, both as a professional and a person. She had worked in this place for the last several years, treating over half a hundred difficult cases and two dozen cases where patient's life was clearly in peril. Not a single complaint, constant praises by the patients, respect of the co-workers, _never _had she resulted to using the influence of her husband and name to get what she wanted. She worked hard and patiently in here, and to find herself being fired in such a longwinded and eloquent way, as if trying to justify to her that the man before her simply put his own reputation first.

Few times had Aries felt more insulted and enraged, though her face didn't betray her feelings, courtesy of her upbringing in a snobbish and prideful society of pureblooded nobility of England.

"Aries, I understand how this may look, but you also have to realize that this is for the benefit of the hospital in general." The man tried to persuade her, with Aries only raising her eyebrow up.

"I was unaware that I was suffering from amnesia and dementia, Head Physician, for I find no recollection of ever poisoning patients or cackling like a mad hag while cutting someone's stomach open." Aries stated, recalling what her fool of a cousin said about her in the Prophet. "I believe my record speaks of my professionalism and sense of duty while treating the patients, so I find it very hard to understand in what way my dismissal from here would benefit the hospital, unless you have been able to secure the services of a more experienced medic and curse breaker."

"That's not… Our hospital has received a very generous proposal about supplying us with rare ingredients, plants and so forth from England, with many of them being expensive and hard to come by in here." Now Aries began to piece things together.

"The Ministry must be in quite the struggles for money, for it covers every expense of the hospital, although from what I heard from some of my patients, Minister Eduard was actually planning to expand the funding to this establishment." Aries said with a neutral tone, with Davout gulping a little. "I will assume that the proposal was made with the condition of having me removed from here, while you receive those ingredients for the expansion of hospital's resources." In her mind, she already knew that the man was going to put those ingredients into his own pocket and sell them, with not one getting into hospital.

"Aries, I know that you are mad, but I can assure that this isn't permanent." Davout said, trying to salvage the situation. "You do not have to treat this as a permanent solution. Why not consider it as an extended leave, to take care of you family and…"

"Monsieur Davout, please do not patronize me and start acting like your friend Albus Dumbledore, you will merely make yourself look miserable instead of simply hypocritical in my eyes." Aries said with a cold tone, before putting the documents she held on his table. "You will have my resignation in a minute, and you may not worry yourself with me making this into a scandal, as I would hate to disrupt the peace and quiet of the hospital. Is it safe to assume that you have a believable and reasonable explanation for my dismissal ready?" She sat down, and after pulling out a clear paper, began to quickly write on it

"I… I haven't really thought about it yet." He said in an astonished tone. "I personally expected you to put up more of a fight or…"

"Monsieur Davout, contrary to what my cousin had stated about me, or what you were expecting me, I know how to leave with my dignity intact." Aries said calmly to him. "And if you need a reason for my dismissal that will be seen as reasonable and believable, you can say that I have left to conduct independent research of lycanthropy. Will this suffice?" Aries handed him her resignation note.

"Yes, it will do fine. And Aries…" Davout stopped the woman just before she opened the door. "For what is worth, I am sorry."

"I believe I told you not to patronize me, Monsieur. And I am certain that even if you felt remorseful for this, your decision would've remained unchanged." She simply said to him without even the smallest hint of insult in her voice. "I shall clear my cabinet of personal items immediately. Have a good day, sir." She said before leaving the cabinet and quickly heading towards her own.

It didn't take Aries long to reach her cabinet and open the door and step inside. What she didn't expect was to find someone being there already, much less that person being none other than her daughter Morgan, sitting on the bench and waiting for her. She was supposed to be in England, visiting Andromeda and her daughter Nymphadora, with whom Morgana was close friends with. Unlike Narcissa, with whom Aries had long had practically no contact with, Andromeda and Aries had never really lost each other and still maintained close relationship, practically unaffected by their marriages. It was a pretty common sight for Morgan to have a sleepover with Nymphadora in Château de Pendragon, or for Andy and her husband Ted staying for diner, or for Arthur and Aries let Morgan go to Tonks' for a weekend, like this time.

This was a surprise for Aries to her daughter here so early, but that surprise was quickly washed away when she saw that her daughter had several bruises on her face, a cut on her lower lip, a closed left eye and she was sniffing, trying to contain tears from her closed eye. Aries instantly forgot about her dismissal and rushed to her daughter.

"Morgana, what in the world has happened to you?" She knelt before her daughter, taking a better look at her, right hand already taking the wand. "Did you get into a fight with someone? What had happened to your eye?" Concern was clear in Aries' voice, as she examined her daughter.

"Mom… It's Nym… She said that… That you and Dad stole Mordred, and that… That you are just as bad as…" Morgan said to her mother, as she sniffed and tried to contain tears coming from her closed eye. "She and Charlie were saying bad stuff… And then I hit Charlie when he called you… And then Nym hit me with a hex and now… Eye burns and can't s-stop crying…" Aries understood now what happened, and put a comforting hand to her cheek, caressing it.

"Shh, shh, calm down, dear. Now, open up your eye and let me see it. I know it hurts, but I need to see it to help you, and I promise it will only hurt just for just a few seconds and not a moment longer." Morgana nodded, and revealed her red eye, tears streaming down from it, with Aries already taking out her wand casting a counter-spell. "Peppered Eye Hex, Andromeda's favorite." Within a second, Aries had healed her daughter's eye, returning it to the normal state, as well as fixing up her bruises and a cut lip.

"Thanks, Mom." Morgana said, as she blinked a couple of times. "That stupid purple-haired harpy, when I get my hands on her…" Morgan was quick to start planning her revenge on her cousin.

"Not before you explain to me in detail, what exactly happened and why did you choose to come here instead of going to Andy." Aries said with a bit of sternness in her voice, with Morgan calming down immediately and speaking up.

* * *

**Flashback. England. Tonks' family cottage.**

The three kids were in the backyard of the Tonks' family cottage, with Nymphadora and Charlie looking at Morgan with intent, while she quickly went through the today's Daily Prophet. She read pretty fast, and each new word and new spouts of lies stated about her family, dad and mom here were slowly driving her mad. She had hold herself from tearing this damn thing apart, if only to read till the end, and by the time she did, Morgan was so damn mad, that her very magic reacted to it and literally burned the newspaper to cinders. Nym and Charlie flinched when they saw it, while Morgan had to force herself to calm down, though her draconian blood was boiling like water in a pot. She glared at Charlie and Nym and spoke up.

"And you believe this damn rubbish?! My Mom a mad witch that likes hurting people, while my Dad delves in the Dark Arts like Voldemort?!" Morgana didn't miss the flinch at the name of the Dark Lord. "Nym, you of all people should know that my Mom is anything but mad and sadistic! Hell, she was the one who figured out why you were being so damn clumsy all the time!"

"Yeah, but at the same time… Morgan, she did steal Harry Potter from his real family, didn't she?" Nym asked of her, with Morgan literally forcing herself not to do something stupid. "The Prophet says it clearly, that the Potters were prepared to take Harry back and it was your Dad that told them that he wouldn't give him to them, their own son to them. And your Mom had even used her position as a doctor in hospital to make sure that they couldn't get to see Harry during his recovery. I don't know, Morgan, but that sounds like something... Like something Bellatrix would do."

"Yeah, and I was there when you Dad appeared out of nowhere and told us kids to get out while he and everyone else talked. My Mom and Dad were there and Mom told me that he openly threatened her and Potters, even saying that he was ready to kill them all if needed." Charlie told Morgan hotly, with the girl looking at him now. "He even threatened to kill my Mom if she didn't shut up, so how do you justify that, huh? Why would a supposed hero go ahead and act like a Dark Lord in front of the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived and all those people there?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because my Dad was freaking mad at the Potters for what they had done to Harry!" Morgan shouted at Charlie. "You two weren't there in hospital with me, my brother and parents, when we went to see Harry. He looked… He looked like he was dead right there, laying on that bed after Mom saving him. I couldn't even look at him without breaking up." Morgan still flinched at the memory of her little brother in the hospital.

"Mom told us that it was a necessary thing to do, and nobody could ever even know how it would turn out." Charlie told her, not convinced that Pendragons were justified in their actions. "Without it, Jamie wouldn't survive, not without magic, and we would be all in deep trouble. It was the right thing to do and if your insane Mama can't understand it, then…" Morgan was furious at what Charlie just said and nearly went on ahead and grabbed her wand.

"Weasley, utter one more word about my Mom and Dad, and I'll…" Morgana was not threatening, but promising, even though she was interrupted.

"Or you'll what, curse me like your mom and auntie Bellatrix would anyone who didn't agree with them?" Charlie said arrogantly and foolishly, getting his wand out already. "Mom always said that all Blacks are insane psychos and pureblooded bigots, and that they are all rotten to the core, and I guess your Mommy is just another pureblooded bigoted whore…" At that moment, Morgan had officially lost any semblance of control.

She didn't go for the wand, as it would take far too long in her opinion, and it wouldn't be even as half as satisfying as doing it the old fashioned Pendragon way. Without as much as saying a single thing, she swiftly moved towards Charlie Weasley, and despite her being smaller in stature and mass than him, she easily grabbed his wand hand and squeezed it real hard, forcing him to drop it and yell. The next thing she did was to send her fist into his smug face, punching him in his nose and drawing blood out of it.

Though Charlie may be bigger than her and was a player in Quidditch, Morgan was one of Beauxbatons' best students when it came down to physical training, combat spells and charms, and anything that focused around winning a fight. It was no wonder that the faculty she studied on was called The Defense and Combat Faculty, and it was the faculty that produced the most Aurors in France, a profession that Morgan was aspiring to get. And so far, she was one of the top tier students on the faculty, and an absolute best in Physical Education Class.

Charlie yelled out of pain, almost falling on his back, clenching his bloodied nose. When he regained his footing and stance, he saw red at the sight of smug smiling Morgan and launched himself at her. Morgan easily evaded the first time, but when she nearly flipped on Charlie's wand, having stepped on it, Charlie saw his opportunity and grabbed her by the collar. He didn't waste any time and literally punched Morgan in the face, breaking her lip, before repeating it once more, before Morgan had collected herself and punched him back in the gut.

Charlie nearly doubled down and released Morgan, who didn't waste time and went for his jaw with her next punch, beating a tooth out of his mouth and forcing him to fall onto the ground. She finally went to her wand, and once she did get a hold of her wand, Morgan was prepared to hex the hell out of the Weasley. Unfortunately it was at that moment, when Morgan's face was hit by the dim red beam and she was forced to immediately close her eye as it hurt too damn much. Morgan immediately looked at who casted the hex and was shocked to see Nym holding her wand out, having casted the spell. Her very own cousin and one of the best friends had went on ahead and _hexed her_!

"Nym, wh-what the h-hell?!" Morgana hissed in anger and pain, as she looked at Nymphadora.

"I'm sorry, Morgan, but I can't let you curse him and…" Morgan didn't let her finish as she had heard enough.

"Curse him?! Like with wh-what?! _Crucio_ damn it?! S-so you think just as this dimwit does about me and my Mom?! So we are just Dark Wizards and Witches to all you pretty and fluffy Light Side?! Well you know what, you can all go to hell with that fucking Dumbledore and the Brat-Who-Shits, because I won't stay in a place where people call my Mom insane!" Morgan didn't wait for the reply, and rushed into the cottage like a fury, where she nearly ran over Andromeda.

"Morgana, what was all that shouting about, and what happened?" Her aunt sounded concerned, but Morgan didn't hear it.

"That was Nym being a dimwitted bimbo, that's what!" Without saying anything more and ignoring further questions, Morgana went on ahead to the floo portal and went to her mom through it.

* * *

**End of Flashback.**

Aries couldn't help but let out a bit of a tired sigh, as she had heard the whole story from her daughter, and while she did feel insulted at the fact that she was called an insane witch, as well as apparently being considered one by her own niece. She wasn't all that surprised to hear Weasley stating such things about her.

She wouldn't expect anything less from Molly Weasley, a well-known prejudiced and self-righteous witch, who even in Hogwarts was infamous for her outspoken rudeness towards anyone whom she deemed as Dark and wrong, which included anyone who would stand up to her, like Aries' future husband Arthur. It was no secret that both Molly and Aries had very bad relations, mainly stemming from the fact of Aries catching the eye of Arthur Pendragon, when Molly was trying her hardest to get his attention.

The Prewett Witch never forgot what she considered the slight of being passed over for Aries by Arthur Pendragon, and even the fact of Aries saving both of her brothers lives after they were ambushed by Death Eaters didn't fix that. Both of them were far too proud of backing ever down, and while Aries was well aware of her pride and knew how to keep herself in check, Molly wasn't as capable of controlling her temper and it showed in her taking the control in the Weasley family, which she ruled with an iron fist so to speak.

Aries never tried to take control in her husband's family and while she did exercise a level of strictness and discipline with her children, she never went as far as to control every single aspect of their lives. She knew that she couldn't do so and that her children, while needed her guidance in life, also needed to learn how to make their own path in life and make their own choices, both good and bad and learn from them. She cherished and loved her children as they were, not as she wanted them to see, and she didn't think any less of them because of their temper.

Aries knew that her daughter had inherited her father's temper and draconian blood of Pendragons, as he called it, ran strong in her veins. From what Aries learned from her husband and other Pendragons, it is something of a family trait, one that members of House Pendragon seem to have inherited from Mordred the Avenger, the one who killed Merlin. None knew what exactly brought this phenomenon on, but it did give Pendragons very fiery and fierce tempers, capable of driving them berserk and mad with fury when they are angered, much like dragons.

Arthur once told Aries that draconian blood is one of the reasons why Pendragons are so feared and considered Dark by many, but it is also something that unites their house and its Branch Families, sort of like a pack feeling, one in which they all stick together and fight for one another. Indeed, Aries rarely seen families as strongly connected as Pendragons and their successor Houses, and when compared to House Black, House Pendragon would literally throw themselves at the enemies' swords rather than listen them slander them and their family. Morgan was just like that, fiercely loyal to family and she wouldn't allow anything or anyone just insult her mother or father in any manner, even if it means losing a close friend.

By all accounts, Aries should scold her daughter for starting up a fistfight and insulting Nym like that, but given the circumstances of Charlie Weasley insulting her and Aries like that, plus Nym supporting him like that… Aries will be merciful, this time around, and given the fact that she too would've hexed that fool of boy for his words. She let out a sigh and stood up, with her Morgan waiting patiently for her decision.

"Morgana, could you lend me a hand?" Aries suddenly asked her, surprising Morgana, before taking out a briefcase from her cabinet. "I need all of my personal items placed in this briefcase. It's charmed with internal expanded space, so don't worry about capacity. Now, let's get started." Aries went on ahead and started moving her items into the briefcase.

"Wait, aren't you mad at me, Mom?" Morgan asked of her, before starting helping her mother. "And what's with the packing up? Are you moving to a new cabinet?"

"Normally, I would be, dear, but given the circumstances and the fact of that Weasley clearly not knowing what manners are, I think I'll let you off easy this time, young lady. And your father will probably not understand me punishing you for standing up for me, so the rest of the summer, you'll spend in France." Morgana nodded.

"That's okay. I wouldn't want to go to Nym after what she said and did. Can't believe she just went ahead and sided with that idiot of a crush of hers. She didn't even think for a second when he appeared and showed us that damn newspaper, like her brain just stopped working at the sight of him." Morgan huffed at the memory.

"Well, love can make people blind to anything, but it is no excuse for doing what she did. I think I'll have a word with Andy about her daughter's behavior when we get home." Aries made a mental note to remember. "And as for why we are packing my things, is because, my dear, I have just been fired from my job for the very same reason you've just ended up in a fight with your cousin, though our ways of leaving the scene were quite different, with me leaving without even raising my voice."

"What?! Does Dad know that you were fired?" Morgan was shocked at what she heard. "And why did you allow them to do it to you, Mom? You are one of the best doctors in here, not some half-trained nurse who likes to flash her legs more than care for patients!"

"He will, once we get home." Aries simply said to her, as she was getting finished with her belongings. "And I am quite flattered that you think so highly of me, Morgana. And there was nothing I could do, given the fact that the Head Physician had been offered and had accepted a most generous donation of rare and expensive ingredients from some benefactors from England. House Longbottom, if I were to take my guess, is the one who will be filling in his pockets."

"Well, at least when father hears of it, he will make sure you are back in no time." Morgan said, as she handed to her mother some of the last belongings she had here.

"Morgana, tell me, would you had ran to your father after hearing what Charlie Weasley said about me and him, if you had a choice back then?" Aries asked her.

"Of course not! I would've hexed his bits off so that he knew better! Why would I go crying to Dad complaining and whining like some scared daddy's little girl?!" She asked of her mother in a bit of an insulted manner.

"Exactly, and that is why I will not have your Papa interfering in any way in this matter." Aries told her, with Morgan realizing what her Mama meant. "Like you, I too am not one to go crying and complaining to my father like a spoiled little princess. You and I, my dear sweet Morgana, both have pride and that's why we wouldn't forgive ourselves if someone did something for us, when we could do it ourselves. And while you may prefer your method of dealing with bullies, I shall do it as a proper English lady would: with dignity, pride and decorum."

"Well, sorry, if I don't really fit the bill with all of those, Mom." Morgan said in a remorseful way, but Aries instead simply smiled to her.

"No, my dear Morgana, but while you may not remind me of the virtues of an English lady, you embody everything I've come to love and cherish in your father: loyalty, passion, courage and fierceness to stand up for what you believe. And I wouldn't trade those qualities in you for even a thousand most proper little Ladies in the world, not when I have you." Morgan immediately cheered up and went on to hug her Mom, before they separated with Aries taking her briefcase and leaving her office with Morgan.

"Hey, Mom. What do you think Dad will do when he sees that newspaper?" Morgan asked of her.

"Knowing him, he will probably get furious at what Potters and Dumbledore had pulled off, before deciding to teach them a lesson of not messing with our family." Aries told her. "That or he would go ahead and try to straight up start a fight with Potters in direct manner, like he would in his youth."

"He too was a hot head like me?" Morgan asked in a surprised manner. "I always thought Dad had a temper, but he was just like me?"

"He was even worse, my dear. Much worse." Aries chuckled at the memories, as they moved out of the hospital and onto the streets. "Not a week would pass by in Hogwarts without your father picking up a fight with someone, usually from Gryffindor or Slytherin Houses. He was so fiery tempered that not even Minerva McGonagall could handle him, and I knew no sterner Witch or Teacher. But for all his temper and ferocity, he was just as loyal and caring towards his friends, as he was merciless towards his enemies."

"Wow, so did you have to rein him in, when you married?" Morgan asked curiously, with Aries shaking her head.

"No, not quite. By the time we married, he had matured, or more correctly, was forced to mature quickly, as had to become Lord Pendragon." Aries told Morgan, who knew the circumstances behind her father's rise to power in House Pendragon. "War with Death Eaters, Gawain, your and Charlotte's births, as well as loss of Euphemia and Harry, it all changed him and forced him to become more focused and level-headed. Although I do have to step in from time to time and stop him from doing a rash thing, but most of the time your father can handle himself with quite a grace."

"When you say it like that, I guess Gawain took more after you, while I took most out of Dad." Morgan mused.

"You both took after us, just in different aspects. Gawain has more of a level-headed temper, like I do, but is just as devoted and loyal to family as your father. You have the fiercest temper, but at the same time you also have inherited independent and proud character." Aries told her. "After all, I too would never allow any idiot who likes to run his mouth insult me and not get away unpunished. Ask Papa about how we first met when you have a chance." Aries chuckled in an amused way, while Morgan was left morbidly curious.

"What in the world did Papa do and how is he still alive?" She asked in a bit of a mortified way.

"Let's just say that Arthur was just as good in riling up the wrong witches, as he was good in making them forgive him quickly enough." Was all that Aries said, as they reached the public floo portal and went into home.

* * *

**Château de Pendragon.**

The pair teleported right into the mansion, stepping out onto the first floor of the place, before being immediately greeted by one of the senior maids. Dressed in black and white completely closed maid dress, she projected the level of decorum and prestige that House Pendragon tried to show and aspired to have.

"Lady Aries, Lady Morgana, welcome back." The maid, who had raven black long hair and purple hair, bowed before them. "Forgive my curiosity, but we were informed that you would be arriving only at the evening, Lady Morgana. And had something happened at your work, Lady Aries."

"We had a change of plans, Raynare. Is everything alright in the Château and where are Gawain, Charlotte and Mordred, and is my husband home?" Aries asked of her.

"Lady Charlotte and Lord Mordred are in the gardens, with Lady Apolline and Lady Fleur Delacour. Lord Gawain is currently studying in library with Sona, and his Lordship is home, entertaining… uninvited guests." Maid said in an unsure manner.

"THAT WILD SOW HAD NEARLY CURSED MY SON! I DEMAND YOU TO BRING HER HERE RIGHT NOW, YOU TRATIROUS COWARD!" The familiar screech of Molly Weasley was probably heard even in Ireland right now.

"Sounds more like enduring instead of entertaining." Morgan said, with Aries agreeing with her. "Did she get her long ago?"

"Lady and Lord Weasley, accompanied by their second son Charles, and Mr. and Mrs. Tonks, along with their daughter, have arrived uninvited here around ten minutes ago." Raynare reported. "At His Lordship's command, a silencing charm was placed on the house, so as to no disturb the recreation of the children outside, with library having said charm already active. Milady, would you like to join them in the meantime?"

"No, better I go up there and face this hurricane, until Arthur runs out of patience. Morgan, why don't you…" Aries turned to her daughter, but she looked defiant.

"Sorry Mom, but I think I'll better go up there too and say my piece." Morgan said to her. "Plus, it would save you trouble looking for me to confirm what had happened there, right?"

"Right. Raynare, go to the gardens and see how the children and our guests are. Make sure that Apolline knows what is happening and that it would be everyone's best interests if she kept the children out of it all, and do make certain that the children don't hear. No need to trouble and worry their little heads." Raynare immediately bowed and headed outside, while Aries and Morgana wasted no time in getting towards the personal study of her husband.

The door inside opened up, with Aries and Morgan stepping inside an spacious and well decorated room, which served as a personal cabinet, study and library of Lord Pendragon, as well as a place of meeting. The place had two points of entry, with one of them being the official one from the main corridor, while the other one being connected to Arthur's and Aries' room and it was from that one where mother and daughter entered.

They emerged out of the doors, with Arthur and Grayfia turning around to see them, while the group of six uninvited guests just stood there surprised, with Andy with Ted being simply surprised and sorry to see Aries, along with Arthur, while Molly tried very hard to contain her own rage. Charlie seemed to have somewhat smug look about him, while Nymphadora looked completely remorseful and sorrowful, especially when she saw Morgan glaring at her. Aries and Morgan made their way to the Lord of the Château, before Aries spoke up.

"Excuse me, but could you be anymore louder? I believe not everyone in this part of the world had heard that right." Aries stated immediately, with her husband deciding that he will get an explanation later. "Now, all the social quips aside, I am going to assume that you have invaded our home in such an unbecoming manner because of what had happened at Tonks' house."

"What happened is that your wild…" Molly was about to scream again, but was stopped by Aries.

"Yes, I know how you call her, Molly, as well as half the Europe, so no need to repeat yourself." Aries stopped her, before turning her attention to Andromeda and Edward. "Andromeda, while do not condone my daughter's response to the situation she placed in, I would like to ask you: where in the world were you with your husband when the altercation had taken place?"

"Aries, I am sorry for what had happened, and I take full responsibility for my daughter's actions and I can assure you, she will be punished severely for her words and what she did." Andromeda said sincerely.

"While it does not excuse your absence, I will trust you to see your daughter disciplined for what she did. It does not do well for cousins to start firing hexes that run a risk of permanently damaging one's sight." Nymphadora flinched at that one, while Morgan still glared at her. "However, she is at the age when she must realize that her actions have consequences and she must be prepared to take responsibility for them. Although all that had happened because of this young man's intolerable behavior, I am very disappointed, Nymphadora, that in order to impress this boy, you would go as far as to agree with him and insult not just my own daughter and me, but even your very own mother." Andromeda looked surprised along with Ted.

"What do you mean, Aries?" Ted asked of her.

"I-I didn't insult anybody, I s-swear." Nymphadora almost cried, but Morgan spoke up.

"Charlie said that all witches of Black family are psychos and bigoted, rotten to the core." Morgan reminded everyone, with Andromeda and Ted widening their eyes at hearing it. "And the next thing you did, Nym, when I went ahead to defend my mom's honor was shoot a damn blinding hex on me."

"Defend your mother's honor? Bah, like you all Blacks and Pendragons have any honor at all! You lot are all scheming and conniving snakes that need to be stamped out of existence!" Molly said without a care, until she met with Arthur's glare.

"Arthur, for once in your life, please recall that you are a man and restrain your wife, because if you don't, I'll have her removed from here in the least dignified way I can imagine." Lord Pendragon stated with strength.

"Molly, please don't make this even worse. We are here just to clear up an altercation, have our son apologize and…" But Lord Weasley was no Arthur Pendragon, and so was unable to shut his wife.

"Apologize?! We here to hear this damn monster apologize to _us _and our little boy for nearly killing him, not to mention…" Molly would've continued on, but a single spell casted by Arthur silenced her.

"Grayfia, please remove the trash out of here." Grayfia politely bowed, before conjuring up ropes on Molly, and disappearing with her, before she reappeared again. "Where have you deposited it?"

"At the pigsty on a farm, near a village 50 miles south-east from here." Grayfia replied without losing her professional cool.

"Charlie, did you really say such a thing to Morgana and Nymphadora?" Now Arthur Weasley asked of his son.

"Yeah, because that's what Mom said, and Nym said that she agrees with it, right Nym?" Charlie looked for support towards Nym, but found none. "Hey, you were the one who said that this woman is like Bellatrix for holding that other Potter away from his family!"

"I know, b-but…" Nymphadora struggled with her words. "I… I didn't mean to… I mean I didn't want to…"

"I believe we all know what you wanted and you meant, Nymphadora." Andromeda said sternly to her daughter. "Aries, Arthur, this was all a huge mess, and I believe it would be in our collective best interests, if we've dealt with our children in a private manner, not like this. So, if you will excuse us…"

"Yes, and I can assure that Charlie shall be punished accordingly and that he will learn his lesson." Arthur Weasley assured them.

"Yes, I believe it will be for the best." Arthur Pendragon agreed, wanting for this entire thing to end already, but before everyone left the room. "But before you leave, do please inform Dumbledore and Potters, that their little stunt in the newspaper won't change anything about the situation we are facing. Harry will be staying here with us, and that is final." The group flinched at the coldness in the voice of the man, but did move to leave the room.

"I shall escort the guest out, with your permission." Grayfia bowed to her employers and moved to do as she said, leaving the trio alone.

"Now, would you two dear ladies explain to me, what in God's name had brought that harpy and the rest of them here, and what in the world did you Morgan do to that boy and for what exactly?" Arthur asked of them, already bracing himself for one interesting story.

Morgan told everything that had happed to her father, and half expected to hear complaints and such, but instead all she got was one sharp inhale. Arthur most certainly didn't expect his daughter and his niece to get into such a situation, and one that had been provoked by Charlie Weasley. Had he not known better, he would've suspected that the boy was purposefully sent by Molly to sabotage relationship between Morgan and Nymphadora. He didn't know for sure, but it seemed like Charlie had wanted to show himself as a defender of his family and to parade himself as such, to show that he defending his family's honor. The idea may've come to him after his mother's ravings about how Arthur mistreated them, and after getting that damn newspaper…

He thought that the effect of it wouldn't be as immediate, and he certainly didn't expect to see his daughter now in a fight with her cousin and best friend. While he could see and even understand to some extend why Nymphadora did what she did, if what Morgan told them about her crush on Charlie, Arthur wouldn't accept and forgive the essential betrayal of trust and friendship so easily. Morgan most certainly seemed like she wasn't going to accept it this insult and betrayal either and it will a long time before she and Nymphadora are on speaking terms again. And given the draconian blood and pride of both Pendragon and Black… it was safe to assume that Morgan will never forget the time when her own cousin had shot a hex at her just to get on a good side of the boy she was crushing on.

But aside from that, Arthur felt proud of his daughter, and though her actions were blunt and could be seen as brutish, but he knew his daughter preferred a direct and blunt approach instead of the usual, typical to wizarding kind one. It reminded Arthur a bit of himself in Morgan's age, when he was managing to find trouble every other day of the week, while recovering from said trouble the day before. While the fact that his girl was punched in the face did cause his anger to swell up, he knew his girl and that she could take a punch, before giving two back. Still, he did need to show that he was a responsible parent, and even if he was damn proud of his girl, he did need punish her, at least as a formality.

Arthur let out a bit of a tired sigh, before speaking up.

"Morgan, for the rest of the summer, you are not to leave the mansion, without our say so. Furthermore, while you are here, you will be looking after Mordred and helping him out with his exercises and studies." Arthur told her. "He has shown quite the interest in expanding his knowledge, and if I believe right, physical exercises will help him built up strength and stronger magical connection. That and he needs to learn how to write in French and Latin, so it will be both a good opportunity for you to learn to be responsible, and to revise your own knowledge of the subjects. Do I make myself clear, Morgana?"

"Yes, Papa." She said, knowing that she got off _very _easy. "Can I go now? I would like to…"

"Yes, dear, you may go." Aries excused Morgan, who swiftly left the room, with Aries letting out a similar to Arthur sigh. "Oh, what a day, and it's not even over… Cousin firing a potentially dangerous hex at another, and all because she has a crush on the boy. This reminds me so much of how my family used to be, that it frightens me. Was there ever something like this in your family, Arthur?"

"I can assure you, that we Pendragons too had our moments, but something like that? I struggle to think of anything similar, though there might've been a moment or two in the past where cousins happened to get cross with each other, but not in such a swift manner." Arthur said to her. "Damn Dumbledore and Potters for this piece of garbage they've delivered. I did offer them peace, but if they want war, they'll have one."

"And speaking of that war, can I assume that you've already taken action towards making the regret their decisions?" Aries asked of him, with Arthur nodding.

"I have, and once the French and international reporters get the whiff of this piece of garbage, they'll get the answers from us. And after that, Dumbledore can kiss his position of Supreme Mugwump goodbye. By the way, Ari, not that I am not glad to see you, but what are you doing here so early in the day?" Arthur asked of her.

"Oh, I was simply fired from my job by Monsieur Davout, who apparently has been bribed by House Longbottom to have me removed from the position of prestige and respect. My guess is that Dumbledore had given the idea to Alice, who in turn influenced her Frank and so forth." Aries replied in a casual and completely normal tone, with Arthur simply looking surprised and shocked at her. "Don't worry, Arthur, I haven't caused a scene and left with my dignity and grace intact."

"Of that I have absolutely no doubt, and something tells me that less I get involved in this one the better." Arthur received a positive nod from his wife, confirming his thoughts. "Alright, then if you do not mind indulging my curiosity, how do you plan to fill up your cleared schedule? Because if there is anything I've learned about you, my dear, is that you detest the idea of being a model lady of the house and not doing something useful."

"That I am my beloved husband. And as I've said Davout, I shall be tacking the problem of lycanthropy now that I have time and the ability to study it at my heart's content." Aries informed him. "Though the war is over, the number of infected by lycanthropy hasn't gone done, and with such a great number of werewolves fleeing from England to France after the fall of Voldemort, there is a grim prospect of a full out epidemic."

"I thought you've said that there was no possible cure for lycanthropy, at least not in the present." Arthur reminded her.

"Yes, I certainly have said so." Aries agreed. "But that doesn't mean that we can't have the next best thing to a cure. I will need a fully closed off lab, with a completely separated from the château air ventilation system, not to mention completely modern equipment, with several microscopes, centrifuge and…"

"Just write down the list of everything you need, and I'll have it all delivered and prepared within a week's time." Arthur said to Aries, who simply smiled to him. "If tackling one of the most dangerous illnesses and finding a cure for makes you happy, who am I to deny you that? But I do beg you to be careful, Aries, if not for me, then for the kids."

"Arthur, have you forgotten that I am always careful when it comes down to science?" Aries chuckled, as she leaned in and had him hug her.

"Really, because I do recall with vivid distinctiveness how your very first experiment went. McGonagall must still shudder at the memory!" Arthur laughed, with Aries chuckling. "Oh, what a day that was. I never thought I would hear her swear so much in Scottish! Not to mention have all of Hogwarts _and _Hogsmeade evacuated because of a gas attack!"

"I honestly didn't expect for those elements to react in such a way!" She said with indignity. "Who would've thought I would actually produce Thioacetone of all things!"

"I certainly didn't, but you know what two things I learned in that day?" Aries looked with curiosity in his eyes. "I learned never again to get cross with you, because even without your magic, you already were the most dangerous witch in Hogwarts."

"Mm, I do like it being acknowledged. And what's the second thing you learned that day?"

"It's that I really have fallen in love with you, and if I have to smell that foul thing all my life just to be with you, I would do it without a second thought." Arthur leaned closer and kissed his wife on the lips.

* * *

**Huh, I must be running high on ideas and writing for now, which I think is good, at least for now, because these chapters come quite easy for me now, while epilogue for Dark Prince is taking work and thinking. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter, which I decided to dedicate to exploring a bit of Aries and Morgan, as well as to show the immediate effect of the interviews.**

**And before any of you start asking why in the world did Aries react so easily to being fired and not raise a ruckus, let's remember that she is a professional and a dedicated medic. She knows that doing so would only worsen things for the hospital, and patients in general, and she cares about those more than about her dignity. If she were to raise a ruckus and start a scandal, she would still be fired, as it was a decided matter, but the way she left is the way I believe she managed to retain her grace and dignity, as if she left of her own accord. Plus, now she can focus more on her family and a personal interest of hers.**

**Oh, and Thioacetone is actually a real thing, and is recorded as the most foul smelling thing in the world. Seriously, it had forced an entire city to be evacuated, no joke!**

**Review, suggest, question, I want your opinions, so send them.**

**Next time: Intruders in France and Château; Confrontation between Houses and Draconian blood awakens.**


	4. Chapter 4

**July 31****st****. Château de Pendragon.**

The doors of Pendragon's mansion were opened, as the Lord and Lady Pendragon, along with all of their children and many members of the service staff, which were led by Grayfia. She was quickly organizing the maids and footmen, while Arthur and Aries directed their children how to stand, as they were receiving very special guests today. House Pendragon was always known for its hospitality, having hosted Dukes, Kings, Queens and so forth throughout the ages, and successor Houses that originated from Pendragon line were always welcome by the main line.

Juno Medici, Lady and Head of House Medici, had expressed a desire to spend some time out of Italy and outside the work and duties, so she had sent a letter to Arthur and asked if she and her children could stay for the duration of her break. Arthur had informed her that she and her two children were always welcome in the Chateau de Pendragon, and he informed his family about the guests coming several days ago. The service staff had quickly and efficiently prepared the rooms for the guests, with Grayfia already assigning individual staff members to each of the Medici, as its personal servant for the duration of the stay. And while Grayfia was commanding the staff members and getting the Chateau ready for the Medici's arrival, Aries and Arthur had given to their youngest children lessons about House Medici, to better understand their relatives.

Out of all Successor Houses, House Medici holds the honor of being not just the first Branch Family of Pendragons, but also the richest and most influential in not just Italy, but quite possibly in all of Wizarding World. House Medici came to be even before Pendragons had settled in France, but the two Houses hadn't lost connection throughout the ages and continued to be close allies and friends, and even today both Houses count each other as the closest and most amicable friends. While Pendragons had made their fortunes and expanded their power mainly through service to Kings of France and through politics, Medici had taken a different route to obtaining influence and power. Where House Pendragon has become famous for producing great warriors and powerful Wizards and Witches, House Medici is best known as the first and main Wizarding Bank, serving as loaners and investors to the other Houses, businesses and individuals in need of money.

Before the widespread establishment of Gringotts Bank, Founder of House Medici, Tristan Medici, who was first a medical doctor and bore name of Pendragon, came to a realization of founding a Bank. It isn't completely clear how he had managed to do so, but what is known is that in 1177, Medici Wizarding Bank was founded in Roma. It proved to be such a great success, that by the middle of 13th Century, House Medici was already considered as one of the richest in Italy, as well as the safest and most honest Bank that Wizards and Witches could find.

The influence and power of this House were so great that its Mageborn descendants had founded a separate branch of House Medici in Florence, one that is widely remembered by the non-magicals. When in the second half of 14th Century Goblins had begun to move into the business of banking, House Medici had to concede some rights, such as storing valuables and money of wizarding kind, to avoid direct conflict, but the financial and political damage was negligible, and even those rights were quickly restored. Throughout the centuries, House Medici had served Italy as its main Bank, as well as often leaders on Magical Italy, with three Medici members having been elected as Ministers of Magic in Italy.

Respected bankers, great stewards and influential politicians- that's how people describe members of House Medici, and Juno Lucretia Medici embodies those qualities, along with the Pendragon's loyalty to friends and family and ferocity towards enemies. She had managed to navigate her House through some troubled times after the fall of Grindelwald, having taken over the leadership of Bank and House when she was just 16 years old, yet proved to be the right person for the task. Much like most of the successor Houses and Branch Families, she had assisted Arthur in war against Death Eaters and Voldemort after the near genocide of the main Pendragon line.

Both Arthur and Aries count her as one of the closest friends, hence why she was chosen as one of the witnesses in the Rituals, a very important and honorable position, not to mention that she was chosen as the godmother for Mordred prior to the ritual. A position of the godparent in the Wizarding World was a highly important one, as such person were in an effect now another parent to its godchild, and was responsible for its safety and happiness, especially in the event if his parents were to die or even exiled the child without a good reason. It was a sacred position, especially among the Noble Houses, and the choice of the Godparents was a very serious and careful decision, one that couldn't be made without great consideration.

Arthur and Aries knew this very well, unlike James and Lily, who thought that having Sirius as Harry's godfather would be a good idea, as he was James' best friend, but he was also a lousy person when it came to responsibilities, caring for others and even himself. Fortunately for all, Euphemia made sure that Harry's godparents were Arthur and Aries, as she knew that they would take care of Harry in an event a disaster stroke. They were also very responsible, well-off and mature enough to look after the others, especially their own children, and in the end it proved to be a blessing.

Arthur and Aries looked for the similar qualities when discussing who would be a good godparent for Mordred, and after a while, they've decided that Juno would be a great pick for the role. The woman herself didn't object and instead felt honored and happy that they've entrusted her their child. Though a godparent was supposed to connect with its godson, Juno had kept her distance until now, as she understood that Mordred would need time to adjust and get used to his new life, and her doting on him wouldn't help the matter. She trusted Arthur and Aries to help the boy recover enough first before she was to connect with him in a proper and healthy manner, and now she was coming here to do just that.

The procession was prepared and stood ready, when they saw a limo driving towards the mansion. Unlike in Britain, most Noble Families in Europe weren't as hesitant to utilize non-magical technologies, and many were by now seen as part of their lives, like modern kitchen appliances, automobiles, telephones and more. It was even considered to be rude manners for guests to arrive in another House's mansion through the floo instead of the front doors. The limo parked before the procession, with the footmen going to the doors and opening them.

The first to come from the car was Lady Juno Lucretia, dressed in elegant blue and white modern garments, consisting of a light coat and skirt, along with blue shoes, with a hat on top of her head. She was quickly followed by a young adult man, with short red hair and blue eyes, unlike like his mother's, dressed in a blue jacket and pants of an official style. After him came out a young, about the same age as Mordred and Charlotte, girl with fiery red hair and green eyes, looking like a copy of her mother, and dressed in blue and white.

Juno looked towards Aries and Arthur with their children, smiling to them, and walked with her children to them, opening her arms to a hug, which she got from Arthur.

"Arthur, it is so good to see you. Thank you so much for letting us stay in your Château." She said with a smile, giving him a kiss on the cheek, before moving on to Aries. "Aries, my dear, you look so dignified and beautiful, that I might mistake you for a Queen. It is an outrage, what had been done to you, and I assure you that if you require any help, you can count on me and my House in helping you to right the wrongs."

"Juno, you and your family are always welcomed guests in our home, and we are delighted to have you stay with us. Our home and all of hospitality of House Pendragon are at your disposal." Arthur said with smile. "Our staff shall see your baggage delivered to your rooms, and we've had Grayfia select maids and a footman for you and your children's needs. They shall show you the rooms, when you wish to see them."

"We are always glad to see you, Juno, and thank you for your support in the matter." Aries thanked her, as she turned her attention to Juno's children. "Valerio, goodness, you've grown so much since I saw you last. What a handsome and respectable young man you have become, with no shortage of admirers and interested young ladies to add." Aries smiled to him, with Valerio doing the same, bowing to her.

"It is always a pleasure to see you, Lady Pendragon. Lord Pendragon, thank you for receiving us and for this warmest of welcomes." Young man bowed to Lord Pendragon, who nodded to him, before smiling and looking towards Pendragon children. "Gawain, Morgan, good to see you, and you Charlotte are growing up to be every bit the lady your mother is. And I believe we haven't yet been introduced." Valerio stepped closer to Mordred, with Pyrrha and Juno joining him.

"Mordred, this is Lady Juno Medici, Head of House Medici. You have met her during the Ritual, and these are her children, Valerio Daniel Medici and Pyrrha Alexandra Medici." Arthur introduced them, with Mordred bowing to them and speaking up.

"Greetings and welcome to Château de Pendragon." Mordred said in a polite and respectable manner. "We are very delighted and happy to receive you, Lady Medici. I am Mordred Pendragon, and if you require any help, I am at your service."

"My dear, there is no need to be so official and uptight. We are all here family, and I would much like you to act in far more informal manner, since we've met and I'm very happy to meet you again, both as your relative and your godmother." Juno smiled to Mordred, who seemingly relaxed and let go of the uptight attitude.

"Thank you, Lady Juno, and I am very glad to see you again, and to meet your family. And I am very grateful that you have witnessed for me and have chosen me as your godson." Mordred said to her, with Juno smiling to him.

"You'll have to forgive him, milady. Mordred had been quite nervous with you coming here, especially after hearing of you being his new godmother. He wanted to make the best impression possible so he had me and Morgan teach him everything we knew about the etiquette in Noble society." Gawain smiled at his little brother. "He was very much keen to make a good impression, so you may not think of him as a poor godson, even though we told him you would like him the way he is."

"Mordred, you needed not to be nervous, and your older brother is quite right, as I've had a good impression of you the moment I laid my eyes on you, my dear godson." Juno carefully caressed his cheek, calming him. "I will confess that I, much like many of my cousins, was very distraught with what had happened to you, and how you had to endure your condition. I hope you will forgive me for not coming sooner and becoming more acquainted with you."

"There is nothing to forgive, milady, and I would be happy to get to know you. And I am looking forward to getting to know you too, Valerio and Pyrrha." Mordred smiled to them, with Valerio nodding to them, with Pyrrha doing the same.

"I would like that very much as well." She said in a happy voice. "Mama, can I go with Charlotte and Mordred to play, please?" She asked in a cute way of her mother, who let out a regretful sigh.

"Soon, my dear, but first, I am afraid, there is some important business that needs to be solved first." Juno suddenly said in a serious manner, with both Arthur and Aries looking a bit worried and confused from the switch in the manners and tone. "Arthur, Aries, can we talk in a private manner somewhere, and Mordred, I would also very much like if you were there too, if you of course do not mind."

"No, I don't, milady." Mordred replied.

"We can talk in my study if you wish for privacy, though I do not know why you would need my son for this meeting." Arthur offered.

"I am afraid that it is on an important matter, one that concerns him and your dear wife, and can't be delayed. I promise to explain everything there." Juno said in a serious tone, before turning to Valerio. "Valerio, could you please see to our baggage being delivered and watch over Pyrrha?"

"I shall have the baggage delivered to your rooms immediately, Lady Medici." Grayfia stated, with Valerio nodding to his mother.

"Very well, then let us go and deal with this important matter. Gawain, Morgan, Charlotte, why don't you go ahead with our guests and show them our gardens?" Aries offered to them, with her children leading Valerio and Pyrrha to the gardens, while she, her husband, Mordred and Juno went into the study.

Once they've reached it, Juno asked Arthur to cast privacy charms and to make sure that the room isn't being listened in any way. After it was deemed safe and all precautions were in place, they've seated themselves and Aries was the first to speak up.

"Juno, can you now explain what is going on, and what is the matter with all this privacy? I believe I am correct in saying that this Chateau is one of the safest and most secure in all of Europe." Aries asked of her, with Juno letting out a sigh.

"My apologies, but it is a professional habit, one that is hard to break away from. And as for why I've asked for it… Mordred, may I ask you, if you know anything about your mother's House?" Juno suddenly asked him about it, with Mordred being caught off guard, as well as his parents.

"My Mama's House? It is House Black, The Noble and Most Ancient House and is one of the most powerful. It was officially founded in 1080 by Perseus Antares Black, and had always been considered to be what British call a Dark Family. It has blood relations with many Noble Houses and Families, mostly in Britain, and they also look down on everyone who is not of pureblood birth." Mordred said, remembering what his Mama and Sona, the librarian and tutor for Pendragons, had taught him. "Its current leader is Sirius Black, my Mama's cousin, with no heirs. That's all I know, is that enough?"

"Most certainly, my dear." Juno smiled to him, as she turned her attention to Aries and Arthur. "Aries, I am glad that you told your son about this, because it will make things a little easier to explain, and before you ask, let me ask you this: what do you know about the wealth of House Black?"

"From what I recall, I and my sisters, along with my parents, have never had any problem with the money, and Sirius with Regulus too lived almost like royalty with us. I know that House of Black's fortune was equal, if not greater, then Malfoys' and Lestranges fortunes, and even though Sirius is a lousy steward and administrator, he should have more than enough money on any whim he can think of in his head and buy it." Aries stated to Juno, who let out a sigh.

"Well, perhaps in the past, House Black was quite wealthy and rich, but those days had come to an end sometime in the end. Starting with Arcturus Black III, House Black had begun to lose its wealth and riches, and when Orion took over in 1956, it had gotten to the point that House Black was forced to take loans." Juno stated to them all. "I believe you can guess from whom they were taking those loans."

"Medici Bank was giving loans to House Black?" Aries asked in a surprised tone, being shocked at the revelation. "I know that my parents and sisters weren't good at keeping track of money, but surely it couldn't be that bad?"

"I am afraid that is even worse than you imagine, my dear." Juno said with sympathy. "House Black, once the proud and wealthy bastion of pure-blooded bigotry, is now destitute and with a _very_ large debt that it owes to Medici Bank."

"Destitute and owes a debt? How could this even have happened?" Aries asked out loud.

"Um, I am sorry, why didn't Lords have just returned the money after taking them?" Mordred asked all of a sudden. "If you take something with someone's permission and promise to return it, then you must return it, right? It's the same when Sona gives me books to read, isn't it?"

"Quite so, Mordred, but when it comes down to money and loans from banks, it gets more complicated." Juno said to him, before explaining. "When a bank, in that case Medici Bank, gives someone money, or loan it, those that had loaned must repay the amount they took, and some extra money with it, so that bank can benefit from its business. Usually, those take a loan in our Bank, use those money to make more money of their own, and then later use it to pay us back, but House Black didn't. It simply took the money and didn't pay back, as well as that extra."

"And if you don't pay in time, the debt will get bigger and you'll have to pay more extra money, right?" Mordred asked with Juno nodding to him with a smile.

"Yes, very perceptive and clever of you to figure it out. You just keep surprising me, my dear." Juno said affectionately to him. "As you have said, Mordred, House Black had to pay us all the debts, but it didn't, and now it owes us a lot of money, more than even some of the Noble Houses have in their coffers."

"Well, if you have come to us to get your money back, Juno, then I am afraid that you've come to the wrong people. Just as my son said it, Sirius is now Lord Black and it's his now job to see to his House's problems" Arthur spoke up. "Why come to us about this? If you want our help in getting it back, then you can count on it, but I don't think Sirius will give you even a Knut, especially with us helping you. He and the rest of the Order, plus Potters, seem to have gone on a warpath with us."

"Yes, I've read that garbage of an article. It was quite a laugh for us in Italy. And must admit that your interviews with the newspapers a week ago, exposing them all were most well received in Italy." Juno said to Arthur. "However, it is not Sirius Black that I need to speak to about getting those money back, because he is no Lord Black."

"What? Sirius isn't Lord Black? But he and the others in Britain have confirmed him to be one, and he even holds the Black seat in Wizengamot." Aries told Juno.

"That he does, and Wizengamot is controlled by Albus Dumbledore, so he can even put a monkey in a seat and call it Lord Gryffindor if he wanted to, and none would question him." Juno said to them. "But even if Sirius says he is Lord Black, he is nothing more but an exiled member, without even the right to call himself Black. Orion and Walburga Black had seen to it, and since Regulus Black had perished years ago…"

"The male main line of House Black had been extinguished, and that means…" Now Aries understood why Juno needed to see her and Mordred so soon, as she turned to her husband and Mordred. "It means that now Mordred is the new Lord Black, as he is my son and doesn't have a status of Heir Presumptive to any House."

"Wait, if Sirius isn't Lord Black, and since Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestranges have no children, then why is Mordred considered to be Lord Black, when Gawain is his eldest?" Arthur asked of Aries. "I know that House Black has a male primogeniture, and doesn't allow the women to inherit the title, but why is it Mordred instead of our eldest that is now Lord Black?"

"Because it isn't as simple as that with my House, Arthur. In 16th Century, my House had lost all of its male heirs and was under the threat of being absorbed into another House through inheritance. My ancestor, Castor Black, had changed the law of inheritance in my House, making sure that the only case in which House of Black was to be inherited by any Heir Presumptive of other Houses was if there were no other male candidates, that weren't immediate Heirs. Since all Noble Houses choose their own ways of inheritance, nobody minded, and after he died, the House went the Castor's nephew, Antares Lestrange, who became Antares Black." Aries explained to Arthur. "My family was always keen to make sure that the name of Black was never forgotten or disappeared, and that's why Gawain isn't Lord Black, but Mordred is."

"Then… That means I have to pay you back all that House Black owes you?" Mordred asked of Juno, who nodded to him. "I am sorry for all this trouble."

"Oh please, do not apologize, my dear. It is not your fault and you don't have to pay me anything immediately…"

"But I have to, because you said it yourself." Mordred suddenly interrupted her, surprising everyone. "How much does House Black owe you, with the entire extra money that needs to be paid?"

"Oh Mordred… The sum is…" Juno was reluctant to say it, even though her young godson insisted. "It is 5 million, 785 thousand and 500 Galleons, that is the sum that House Black owes to Medici Bank." Both Aries and Arthur were shocked to hear just _how_ much House Black owed to Juno.

"Th-that's just… Where in God's name were Lord Black spending all that money and their fortunes?!" Arthur asked in an outraged tone. "And you expect my son to pay for it all?!"

"Arthur, please, I didn't say that I expected it, or wanted him to do so. I wanted this meeting so that we can all decide how to best deal with this problem, without causing trouble to Mordred and Aries." Juno said in a peaceful manner. "I care for our family and I am very fond of your wife and children, but there is more than just money that I have to take care of. It is the reputation of Medici Bank and my House that are on the line, and if I were to be lenient even with my relatives, immediate or not."

"It would ruin the reputation of House Medici, I understand it." Aries said with understanding, with Arthur calming down as well. "So, how do we deal with this mess and what are we to do now that Mordred is Lord Black?"

"Um, Mama?" Mordred spoke up again. "If I am Lord Black, then that means that all that Blacks owe is mine now?" He asked of her suddenly.

"Yes, that is true, dear." Aries said to him.

"If that is so, then can't we sell things to House Medici to pay for all those money that House Black took?" Mordred asked of Aries, with her and Arthur looking surprised at hearing it. "That is, if it is alright with you, Mama, Papa."

"Well, confiscation of valuable property and items is one way to cover the debt that my bank accepts, but with the sum like that, you would have to give to Medici Bank probably most of property and items owned by House Black." Juno said to them all. "I know that House Black has a number of estates and mansions in Britain and across the world, plus an island, but even that may not be enough to cover the debt."

"My House also had hoarded quite a great deal of treasures from Goblins and other magical races, not to mention dark artifacts and jewelry and all kinds of valuables in Black Vault." Aries told Juno. "I hardly doubt that Arcturus and Orion would ever even think of selling those to cover their debts, as it would be seen as weakness in the eyes of their friends. Still I don't understand where all the money House Black had gone to?"

"I think I know where it went: investments into Dark Lords and a new, pureblood dominated world." Arthur simply stated, with Aries being forced to agree with him. "You've told me yourself that your parents and Sirius' parents were eager supporters of Voldemort, and Euphemia told me how House Black had supported Grindelwald. They may've not participated in the wars actively, but wars are not cheap to win, and I doubt that either Voldemort or Gellert were swimming in Galleons."

"Wars require three things in constant supply: coin, more coin, and even more coin. That's what my mother had always told me." Juno said to them. "It is already confirmed that a great number of coin we loaned had been used to fund Dark Lords by its supporters, and it is a matter of great shame that this coin was used to hurt House Pendragon. Had I known…"

"You simply did what your House had always done, Juno, and there is nothing for you to be ashamed of. It was not the coin that had killed my grandfather and father, but Voldemort himself, and it were his supporters' choice to fund him, not your own." Arthur simply said to her.

"So, how do I sell all the things that need to be sold to repay the debt, and…" Mordred spoke up again, but Juno stopped him.

"That is something that we can decide on later on, my dear, but I do have to ask if you are prepared to do so. You could quite possibly be leaving yourself without any possessions in Britain, and if you ever want to go there and act as Lord Black, you would be just a Wizard with a title, but no money or land to call your own. Are you sure that that this is what you want to do, Mordred? And I urge you to think carefully about it, because even though you are still very young, I do see that you are quite a bright little young man, and such decisions can't be made without proper consideration." Juno told him in a respectable tone, as if she were talking with a man.

"Well, I don't want the title, and I don't want to return to Britain, not after… Not after what _they_ had done to me." Mordred said with bitter and pain in his voice, making Aries move closer and hug him. "But, Papa told me that a Lord always takes responsibility for his House, even if it will hurt him, so I have to do so. And even if I won't have anything left there, it won't mean much to me, because I have the most important thing here: family." Mordred said with confidence, making Arthur smile proudly at him, while Aries hugged her son tightly and kissed him on the forehead, while Juno admired Mordred for his words.

It was true what Mordred just told them all, and he meant every word. Having been abandoned by his real parents, along with what they had done to him, and then put through abuse by Dursleys, both verbal and physical, Mordred lost all hope at being rescued from the hell. He had been sick, constantly in pains, forced to endure nightmare after nightmare, both awake and in his sleep, and nearly died, but he was rescued, right when he had lost all hope. He was rescued and saved by Aries and Arthur, the people that were his _real _parents and who didn't hesitate to make him their own.

He had honestly didn't expect to ever see them again, as he had wanted, waited and believed that they would rescue him from Dursleys, but it didn't happen and he assumed that they, much like everyone, had forgotten of him. And yet, a month ago he had nearly died and was saved by Aries, who with Arthur would practically live near Harry in the hospital, caring for him and asking for forgiveness for not looking for him. They were sincere and true, and he could see it in their eyes and words, and Harry forgave them, before even learning that they were lied to about his death. All he cared about was that he was with his family and that they had made him their own officially, in blood and magic.

Over the time he had spent with Pendragons, he had fully reconnected with them all and forged new bonds with ease. He loved his parents dearly, just as they loved him back, if not even more than before. His Papa would always find time to spend with Mordred, telling him some stories, or playing with him and helping with his studies. His Mama, now that she worked at home, would be there to explain something complicated in studies, or to help him read and even let him help her in her lab, under her extreme supervision.

Though Gawain was often busy with his studies and work, as he was the Heir Presumptive, Mordred could always count on him to help him with his immediate studies, or with anything that was of his interest. His older brother was obviously very busy and had to devote much of his time to duty, but he never put himself before Mordred when he needed help or just wanted to spend time with him. Morgan was far more easy going and fun to be around, as she always found something interesting and fun to do with him, and she had no problem hanging out with Mordred. They've played basketball, football and plenty of other games, and she was always there with him, helping with his French and Latin, plus with exercises. She did say that it was because she was technically grounded because of her stupid friend, but she also told him that had he asked her, she'd help him out without a second of hesitation. Though it was somewhat strange at first, but Mordred quickly grew used to having Morgan around him and hanging out with her at the mansion.

Charlotte and Mordred had reconnected so quickly, that it seemed like they've never parted ways, as Charle had always had a deep connection with him, even when he was Harry. They were practically the same age and always played with each other, and Harry hadn't even noticed how he began to look after Charle as if she were his little sister. Now she really was, and it didn't change a thing between them, though now they really were brother and sister.

Fleur, though they had a bit of a rough start, was actually very sweet and kind, once Mordred got to know her better. She was really lonely, as she was part Veela and had developed the allure her race was famous for quite early on, and because of that she was either looked upon as object of adoration, or shunned by those that were jealous. It left her with very few people that didn't see her as others, and she was delighted and happy to be with Mordred. She had a blunt and even straightforward way of saying things, something that may've been seen as rudeness in Noble Society, but Mordred like it in Fleur. He knew that she said things like that because that's how she felt, and didn't like to sugarcoat it, and Mordred preferred to hear honesty instead of lies. Even though it was just a few weeks, the two grew to be fast friends, even perhaps close friends, though the two were quite embarrassed when their Mamas teased them over the subject of them being young loves and so forth.

Overall, Mordred had the most important to him right here, his family, and he didn't care one bit about this whole Lord Black business. If he was Lord Black and he needed to fix a problem, he will do it, and if meant getting rid of all things in Britain, then it was even better. Mordred didn't want to go back to Britain, back where he was betrayed, hurt and abandoned by his former parents, and he didn't want anything that connected him to Britain in any way. He didn't care about the stuff he never knew he had, and about the title that became his because of some technicality, he only cared about doing the right thing, and that was it.

"Your son clearly knows what his priorities are and what truly is important. You, my dear young man, are something unique, and you've just impressed me more than most Lords I know." Juno told him, as she let out a sigh. "Now, Lord Black had said his word, and the two of you agree with it all, Aries, Arthur?"

"I wouldn't mind paying this entire debt if Mordred had asked, but something like this… I can't argue with it, not when my son is acting like a proper Lord." Arthur said with pride.

"I am with my husband and son on this one. I never did like the Grimmauld Place, and all other estates were all gloom and grim, most definitely not the place to live or raise children properly." Aries said in her usual educated way. "I do hope that you will handle the transition of property and possessions of House Black into Medici Bank in a professional manner, Juno."

"Aries, had we not been professional, we would never be able to run our bank and get to where we are." Juno said with smile, before letting out a sigh of relief. "I'll contact the bank, have it draw up the needed documents. When you are ready, we'll evaluate the assets of House Black, determine what costs what and take all that is needed to pay the debt. And just in case of some House Black assets remaining in your possession, what will you do with it, Mordred?"

"I… I don't really know." Mordred told them with all honesty. "I guess I'll sell it too, and keep the money for something important later on, if that's okay with you, Mama."

"It's quite alright with me, my dear. We'll figure what to do with your newfound Lordship later on, don't worry about it." Aries promised to him, holding him close to her. "We aren't planning on having you go back to Britain in any way, not if you are against it, and we won't let anyone take you there. Now, Juno, please forgive my directness and rudeness, but are you done with this banking business, at least for now?"

"Oh I most certainly am, and I must say that I was bracing myself for days of delegations and talks, not such a quick and rather direct solution of our problems." Juno admitted to them with a chuckle. "I did come here to enjoy my time away from the job, and I do very much detest bringing up the official business in such a manner, especially with the family."

"Well, now that it all settled, I am sure we can all now…" Suddenly, the doors into Lord Pendragon's study swung open with great force, with Morgan, Charlotte and Pyrrha rushing it. "Morgan, what in the blazes is going on, and why are you practically blasting my doors off its hinges?!"

"Dad, Mom, th-the Potters and Dumbledore…" Morgan breathe out of her, confusing everyone with what she just said, trying to catch her breath.

"What is going on?" Juno asked out loud, with Charlotte answering.

"Lord and Lady Potter came, with Mr. Dumbledore and a lot of other people. They are being mean to everyone and are demanding to see Mordred, whom they call Harry. They said that they'll take him back whatever it takes." Charle said to them, with Arthur, Aries and Juno widening their eyes when they heard it, while Mordred moved closer to his mother. "Big Brother and Valerio told Morgan to take me and Pyrrha and get to you, but door wasn't opening, so Morgan opened it with a spell. Grayfia and other servants are there as well, and they look really mean and scary."

"Oh for the love of God and all that is holy… Morgan, you did well, my dear, now you are to stay here and look out for the kids. Mordred, Charlotte, Pyrrha, you are to stay here with Morgan and not leave this room, got it? We'll send some of the staff here to look out for you, but until we come back, you are not to open the doors to anyone you do not know." Arthur told them, with Aries letting go of Mordred and going to hug her oldest daughter and tell her she was proud her, before going to calm her youngest. "Juno, you can stay here. We'll handle…"

"Not a chance! Those ruffians and scoundrels have the gall to invade our ally's house and demand something as outrageous as one of your sons, and even threaten your _and_ my children?! I'll bloody rip their guts out and feed it to the dogs for that!" Juno made it obvious that she wasn't going to let such a slight go, and that for threatening her son and daughter, she will make them pay. "What gall and outrageous barbarism! Come now, let's teach those Englishmen some manners!" Clearly, draconian blood ran strong and hot in Juno, as she moved towards the front doors of the Chateau.

"Aries, contact Eduard and Francis. I have a feeling that French Ministry may have no knowledge of this sudden invasion." Aries nodded him and rushed to the telephone, while Arthur and Juno went on ahead to the entrance.

On their way, Arthur met four maids that were on their way to the front doors, commanding them to go to his study and protect it until he returns. He, much like Juno, was practically fuming with fury and anger, at such gall and dare of English. To barge in here, with Aurors and members of the Order most definitely, and to demand the return of Harry, after what they had done to him! He was most definitely done playing into politics with all of them, especially after such a thing, and he was going to make sure they understand why it always a bad idea to attack House Pendragon on its own land. They had tried to use Daily Prophet and bribes to move Arthur, but it didn't work, and after Arthur and Aries gave their own interviews to newspapers across the Magical World, the ire of international public was turning towards Potters and Dumbledore. It would seem that with the failure of their first plan, they decided to try a direct approach, which now fully freed Arthur's hands on dealing with them.

He and Juno took out their wands as they've approached the entrance, seeing over twenty Nephilims with their natural features out, magic flickering in their hands and ready to go at the intruders at a moment's notice. Gawain and Valerio stood in front of them, having readied their wands and pointing them at the invaders, which were in quite the numbers and with quite interesting characters with them. Aside from Potters and Dumbledore, Arthur saw Fabian and Gideon Prewetts, Alastor Moody, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, along with Amelia Bones, Frank and Alice Longbottom, and Barty Crouch Sr., but they were all not as interesting as the woman that was leading them.

"What in God's name is going on and what are you scoundrels are doing in here?!" Arthur's booming voice immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room, as he and Juno took the position near Valerio and in front of the invaders, quickly joined by Aries and Grayfia. "Minister Bagnold, I demand an explanation to this invasion of yours! And after that, I demand that you remove yourselves out of here and out of my grounds, lest decide to exercise my right to self-defense!"

"I am afraid we won't leave that easily, Lord Pendragon, not if you finally yield to the rightful demands of Lord and Lady Potter to return their son to them." Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold, proclaimed in a proud manner. "You have illegally taken their son, Harry Potter, from his rightful relatives and guardians, and now refuse to return him back to his parents. As Minister of Magic, it is my duty to see the justice done and a child safely delivered back in his parents hands."

"We've saved him from those monsters, which starved, abused and beaten him to half-death, and he was bloody abandoned by those very same parents that now want him back! He is no damn toy to be played with until he is discarded after becoming boring, and you'll only get to him through damn dead bodies!" Arthur pointed his wand at them, with Aries, Juno, Valerio and Gawain doing the same. "You've crossed the line for the last time, Dumbledore! I'll see you sacked out of all your damn offices for this invasion of yours, and you can say goodbye to your own careers, Bagnold, Crouch!"

"Arthur, Aries, please stop this foolishness and finally remember what true Light and Goodness are!" Dumbledore pleaded to them in his usual manner. "You've surrounded yourselves with Demons and have fallen greatly into darkness, but it is not too late for you to come back to the Light. Let me guide you back and let Harry go back to his family, as he most surely wants to!"

"Oh shut your damn mouth about Light and Dark, you old decrepit bastard!" Juno snarled at him. "The only Dark people and Demons I see are you all here! You had dared to do such a vile thing to that boy, and after you've thrown him out, you have the gall to come here and demand him back?! I've known Goblins with more heart and less hypocrisy than you possess!"

"These men and women here are Nephilims, and they have saved France from real Demons when they had nearly destroyed it, Demons that originated in Hogwarts and Britain, and who now invade my own house!" Arthur practically roared. "He is no longer your son, James, Lily! He is our son, in blood and magic, and we'll die before you get to him, but we'll be sure to take you with us!"

"What do you mean by that? What have you dark bastards have done with our son?!" James was outraged.

"He is not your son anymore, and never was! He is now Pendragon and my little brother, Mordred Arthur Pendragon, and you have no rights on him whatsoever!" Gawain stated with force, fueled with pride and anger, while also fueling his father with pride, while the invaders had seemed shocked at the revelation. "You disowned and exiled him, used him as a damn battery for your other Mageborn son, and now you dare to claim him back?! You are just as bad as Voldemort!"

"Shut it, sonny! You don't know what you are blabbering about, and unless you want to find out…" Alastor was about to threaten him, but was stopped by Aries.

"Threaten my son, Moody, and I promise you, that no medic or curse breaker will save you after I'm done with you." Aries was most certainly not kidding.

"You've used dark magic to claim the boy? How could you, Arthur, Aries?" Dumbledore asked of them.

"You have no right on him! We are his real parents, his only parents and you've had no right to take him away from us like that!" Lily cried out. "I know what we had done was wrong, but…"

"There is no 'but' in this! Nothing that could ever justify the crime you had committed, nothing that could ever be forgiven, not after you've stolen our son's magic and nearly killed him!" Aries let her own fury out, as she pointed her wand towards Lily and James. "Where were you when Harry spoke his first word? Where were you when he made his first steps? Where were you when he was running a fever for several days and nights, because he had contracted flu from _Sirius_, at a year old?! You were practically non-existent for him, only there while resting and even then not often! And even when Jamie was born, you barely even noticed him!"

"That still didn't give you the right to take him away from us and give him the most cursed name in England's history!" Sirius shouted back. "Calling him Mordred, after the man that killed Merlin?! Just what kind of a sick humor is that?! My godson must be cringing every time you call him that!"

"It is a respected and honored name in Pendragon family, and _our _son likes it and is proud of his name." Arthur stated to him sternly. "You are no godfather to him, Black, and never were. And thank God and Euphemia for that, because you don't deserve to be his godfather!"

"Even if you've used some dark ritual, we'll just find a way to reverse and get him back in his real family. Now give him up, because you can't seriously think you can compete with all of us here." Crouch said with a sneer. "We have the very best of Aurors with us, and Dumbledore along, and all you have are weakling Demons that don't know even the simplest spells. As the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I have all the authority to arrest you for kidnapping the boy, and I shall be more than happy to exercise it."

"Arthur, let's not escalate it any further. Just return Harry back, and we will all just go. There is no need for bloodshed and most certainly no need for us all to fight here. We've fought against You-Know-Who together, and your wife had saved us from Lestranges and her sister. Surely you have to understand that it would do no good for allies to fight agaisnt each other and that Harry would always be better off with his family in Britain." Frank Longbottom tried convince Arthur, but failed miserably.

"We've not been allies since the day you've consented to a sacrilege against magic being done to Harry, and you most certainly have a very funny way to show friendship, Frank." Arthur almost spat at him. "You and your wife owe your lives to us. Hell, practically all of you here owe it to us! Alastor, Fabian, Gideon, what happened to all that eternal gratitude and friendship after I've saved you three from Dolohov and Rosier? And what about you three Marauders? Had it not been for me and Aries, your damn hides would've long served as pelts for Bellatrix and Narcissa, when your damn recon mission failed."

"And you all daft idiots seem to forget that this is not your soaked and muddy British Isle, where you can run amok and prosecute anyone not meeting the correct cauldron thickness criteria. This is France, a sovereign and independent country, which is ruled by law, reason and rights that are protected and abided. You all have no rights and privileges here, not to mention any authority whatsoever." Juno pointed it out to them. "You very presence in here is not just an insult, but a direct violation of sovereignty of France and international law, coming in here in with such a force and demanding such outrageous things! Mark my words, I will make sure that Italian Minister and all the other that I know hear of it and once they do, you can kiss your jobs goodbye!"

"Oh, and who the bloody hell are you, you hag? And we've got every right to be here, especially with Dumbledore, as he's got all the authority on the matters!" Sirius said to them all.

"I am not some hag, you mingy mutt! I am Juno Lucretia Medici, Lady and Head of House Medici and Head of Medici Wizarding Bank, the very same establishment to which half of you owe money, including you, Madam Minister. And I suspect that once I am back home, I shall see to it that those debts are collected early, seeing as you've shown your eagerness to break law just to get your way!" Juno promised them all, making some of them pale at the thought. "And as for you, Dumbledore, I swear upon my family's name that I shall put ever effort to removing you out of power for this invasion!"

"I fear that you hold no such authority over me, Madam, and as a Supreme Mugwump, I am well within my rights to see this conflict mediated and resolved by any means necessary." Dumbledore stated to them all. "No matter the dark ritual and whatever charms you had used upon young Harry, I shall reverse it all, and he will be safe and sound in his real home. However, if you do not wish to return him back willingly, I fear that you force my hand. Fawkes!" The next second a bright flash of light appeared, before dissipating and leaving a frightened Mordred and a phoenix on his shoulder, before he was grabbed by James and Lily.

"Mordred!" Arthur cried out, pointing his wand at them all. "Release my son at once, or I swear…"

"Or you what, try and strike us? We outnumber you all, and we've got the kid, so don't try anything funny, Arthur." Alastor warned them.

"Harry, my boy, what they have done to you?! Don't worry my boy, Daddy will show them dark wizards!" James tried to play the role of the caring father, but failed miserably, as Mordred struggled in his grip and tried to get out. "Harry, stop squirming! We are taking you back home, back in Britain, and making it all better for us all!"

"Let go of me! I am home and you are not my father, you are just a big prat and dark wizard!" Mordred's anger was now flaring up, as he struggled, until Lily came up to him and looked at him.

"Harry, please, I know that you angry and what we did was bad…"

"You abandoned me! You hurt me, you almost killed me! You hurt me worse than Dursleys, worse than Voldemort and everyone else! You didn't even love me or care for me, not like my real parents and I am not Harry Potter! I am Mordred Pendragon, son of Arthur and Aries!" Mordred practically roared, as he struggled, his blood boiling in the veins, as he was nearly out of James' grip.

"Damn it, you ungrateful brat, stop resisting or I'll stun you!" Sirius roared at him, almost forcing Arthur and Aries to shoot curses at them all. "Don't you realize that we are all here to save you from them and bring you back where you belong? Come on, Prongslet, don't you want to be with your real family?"

"I don't need saving, not from them, but from you, because you'll just go ahead and dump me again after your steal some more of my magic! And I am not some animal to you, I am Pendragon and Lord Black, unlike you dumb exiled mutt!" Mordred practically roared.

"Harry, what are you saying?" Lily asked of him. "Please, my dear little boy, James and I are here to take you back home! W-We'll fix everything, and you'll forgive us after we are back and you are Potter again."

"Never! I'll never go back, and I'll never forgive you! Let me go!" Mordred had nearly gotten out of James' grip, until Lord Potter had struck Mordred in the back of his head to stop him.

"Mordred! James, I'll bloody murder you for laying a hand on my son, I swear to you!" Arthur roared, wanting to unleash all of his magic upon them, but not risking his son.

"Damn it, Harry! Stop acting like a spoiled brat and just give up! You are our with Lily son and you belong in Britain with us! If you don't act as you should, I'll take you back there by force!" James shouted at him. "Now, tell us that you forgive us and say goodbye to these people, because…"

"I won't go with you!" Mordred's magic was starting to flare up, unnoticed by the invaders, but not by Pendragons and Nephilims. "The only spoiled brat here is you and your friends!"

"The boy is clearly hexed and charmed to say all those things, no doubt about." Bagnold concluded with an important look. "That's it. We are taking him back to Britain and have him released from whatever sorcery you used on him. Dumbledore, I trust you have a counter-spell to whatever dark magic they've used on him."

"Most certainly, Madam Minister, and I will see to it immediately after we get back." With that said, the group began to back away from the Pendragons and Nephilims. "Arthur, I am so very sorry that it had to come to this, but you and Aries had left us no choice. I fear that you have fallen completely into the darkness and even I may not be able to save you now."

"Save your damn excuses for your fanatics, Dumbledore, and if you think you'll just leave with my son after taking him in such a manner, then you clearly are mad." Arthur hissed at them. "If one hair falls of my son's head…"

"He is not your son, Arthur, and never was, nor was he Pendragon or anything as dark as that. He is not Mordred Pendragon, but Harry Potter, the brother to the Boy-Who-Lived and my eldest son." Lily said to him sternly, while Mordred practically growled at her words. "I don't care what you think or believe, but once he is back, I'll make certain that he knows who his real parents are, even if I have to beat it into him!" Lily moved her hand to touch Mordred, but she jerked it away at the sight of him.

Mordred's blood was boiling, instead of fear and fright gripping his heart. He felt anger, rage and fury, all that he didn't think he had in him, and it burned as bright and hot as fire in him. These people, all these people had dared to take him like this, that phoenix had dared to frighten his sisters. They had dared to claim him as their own and didn't care that he wanted nothing to do with them! He was not theirs and never will be, he didn't belong with them, not after they had hurt him! They had made his real parents mad and frightened for his life, and he wanted to make them pay for it. And now this woman had wanted to beat him, just like her sister had done all those times she didn't like him!

No! He won't let them! He won't allow them to take him with them! He will make them pay! He will hurt them for what they did! His blood called for it, called for retribution and vengeance, he felt fire in him burn and a dragon roar! His desire and will combined, and magic was answering, unknown to Mordred, as his body was exuding red energy. With each second it grew stronger and more violent, almost like back in the hotel, but without pain and suffering. No, this time it felt natural and needed! He was sending it, sending it out with his will and rage! And when Lily moved to hold him in her hand, his draconian blood forced him to roar.

**"DON'T TOUCH ME!"** A mighty roar akin to that of the dragon escaped from Mordred, and with it he unleashed something that none could ever predict him to have.

A field of violent crimson red energy was unleashed out his body, spreading like a thousand lightings and splitting apart, hitting all that came close to him. James and Lily were hit first, with James letting go of Mordred and nearly losing conciseness, hissing out of pain, while Lily had been hit in the arm and almost losing control of it. Several others were hit as well, crying out of pain, like Sirius, Amelia and Frank, while some simply powered through it with _Protego_, like Dumbledore, Alastor and others. Fawkes was hit as well, and unlike the others, he was literally blasted off existence by the crimson lighting, as it hit him the hardest and at the strongest when he sat on Harry's shoulder, destroying his being into ashes.

None of the invaders had foreseen Arthur and his family with Nephilims stood still and in shock at what they had seen Mordred pull off, with Arthur, Juno and Grayfia realizing to just what they were witnesses to. But their shock was quickly discarded when they saw Mordred's body going limp and nearly falling down. Without any commands, Nephilims unleashed their combined magic and pushed the invaders outside and away from Mordred with their own magic, before forming a protective shield against them. Aries, Arthur, Juno, Gawain and Valerio rushed to Mordred, while Grayfia took a position in between them and Nephilims, who stood in front of the invaders, keeping the barrier up from the invaders.

"Mordred! Mordred, my sweetling, please wake up! My son, what have they done to him, Arthur?!" Aries cried out, as none of her diagnostic charm helped her to determine what was wrong with him.

"He… He used Mana Burst." Arthur said in a shocked tone, getting confused looks from Aries and his son. "Mana, or Magical Burst, is one of the abilities that House Pendragon has. It is a rare gift, said to have been first created by Mordred himself against Merlin, and one that had appeared in our House and our successor Houses throughout the ages. I don't even know when it last had appeared in House Pendragon."

"It was last used by your great grandfather, Lord Arthur VI Pendragon, and it is a rather rare gift." Grayfia chimed in. "I knew half a dozen Pendragons and just as many members of Branch Families that have had this gift over two hundred years of my service to this family. You have nothing to fear for, Lady Aries. Young Mordred is simply exhausted after using his Mana Burst for the first time, a usual effect after activation of it."

"Oh, my baby boy…" Aries took her son into her arms and hugged him close to her, before moving with him out of here, followed by Gawain and Valerio.

"Dear Lord, your son is just full to the brim with all sorts of surprises, Arthur. Next thing we know, he might even turn out to be Parselmouth." Juno said with amazement. "A holder of Mordred's Gift… He will need to be trained to use properly."

"I know, and I know just who to ask for help, but first…" He turned his attention to the British wizards and witches who tried to break through the barrier, but without any result. "I'll make these bastards pay for coming here." He moved towards them with Juno and Grayfia.

"Damn it, this bloody barrier won't even budge!" Sirius cursed, as he fired another _Expulsio _at it to no effect. "What in the blazes was it that Harry pulled off? Some bout of accidental magic?"

"No, more like some damn Dark Magic for sure." Fabian said assured. "Did you see how it destroyed Fawkes, and he is a phoenix! Only really serious Dark wizardry can do it, nothing else."

"Arthur and Aries must've done something Harry, aside from brainwashing him, no doubt about it." Gideon stated just as sure as his brother.

"Yes, indeed, and now we are bound by our duty to the Light to save him!" Dumbledore stated with vigor, secretly wishing to get Harry because of his power, feeling that it might be what he needed to defeat Voldemort for sure, as he whipped out his Elder Wand. "Stand back everyone, I shall…"

"YOU SHALL DROP THIS DAMN WAND, DUMBLEDORE!" The enraged and booming French tone had forced everyone to turn their eyes back and freeze in place.

Right behind British intruders stood French Minister for Magic, Eduard de Brienne, with French Representative in ICW, Francis de Beauclerc, and Head of the Department of Internal Affairs, Robert Delacour, accompanied by 20 French Paladins, veteran Aurors and specially trained by in taking down Dark Wizards and Witches of any caliber. Dressed in grey steel closed long coats and robes, as well as special white masks covering their faces, they were French Ministry's elites in taking down criminals of extreme danger and importance.

To get into Paladins meant that the Auror was a full-fledged veteran and had served a long time in the Department, and was among the best France had to offer. Death Eaters feared these magical warriors more than any English Auror. Even Mad-Eye Moody was not as intimidating as these faceless and merciless knights. They've surrounded the invaders and readied their wands at the enemies, ready to stun them all without mercy, while Nephilims had dropped the barrier, letting Juno and Arthur go to their friends. Eduard stepped out and after he spotted his English counterpart, he spoke in a cold and utterly devoice of sympathy voice.

"Millicent Bagnold, by what right have you dared to bring these people into my country and have dared to threaten members of French Society?" His voice was ice cold and just barely contained his fury. "Your very presence here is an international violation of borders, as well as the infringement of sovereignty of an independent nation. A nation that is run by me and one that will not see another Great Magical War being waged upon its soil!"

"Minister de Brienne, I can assure you that we were fully in the right to…" Millicent wasn't given the right to speak, when she was interrupted by Robert.

"A right to invade our country, barge into here and attempt to kidnap an innocent child from his parents, not to mention who had suffered so greatly at the hands of these people?!" Lord Delacour was just as furious as his boss. "I don't know how things are done in your damned Isles, but here such a thing is a capital crime and were you members of French Magical Society, I would see you all executed for what you had done."

"Eduard, my dear friend, I am sure that we can resolve this small incident, after I explain why we had to come here." Dumbledore spoke up in his usual way. "I am sure you understand that we couldn't just sit by and allow a brother to the Boy-Who-Lived be held captive by Arthur and Aries. Surely have heard about the whole thing already and certainly agree that he needed to be returned home, where he would be safe and happy. I am most certain that you can find it in you to forgive me for not mentioning to you us coming here, under my authority and…"

"Your authority? Forgive me, Supreme Mugwump, but not even someone as famous and legendary as you, Albus Dumbledore, have the right to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation, not to mention using your authority to justify a kidnapping of a citizen of France." Francis stated with ice in his voice. "You have gone too far now, Dumbledore. We at the Confederacy had held our tongues when you prevented other countries from offering help to England. We gritted our teeth when you've pushed those outrageous educational reforms, which we rejected. However, I can assure you, that is not something we will let you get away with. As a French Representative in Confederacy, I will call in the assembly tomorrow and have you ousted, and England will also answer for its infringement of international laws, that I assure you, Madam Minister."

"Monsieur de Brienne, Representative de Beauclerc, I can assure th-that I was being misled and…" Millicent was now trying to get out of the bind, but it was too late.

"And I do not care one bit whether you were misled or not. Paladins, arrest the British Aurors, Lord and Lady Potter. As for you three, we shall continue this talk tomorrow, in ICW's Headquarters. Now get out of my country, before I forget that you have diplomatic immunity." Paladins quickly moved to take the intruders captive, despite their resistance, while Crouch, Bagnold and Dumbledore used apparition to get out of France. "Arthur, you have my sincere apologies for being so late. It had taken Paladins some time to get past the barrier set by Dumbledore, but I can assure you, that they will pay dearly for this."

"Something tells me that it won't be dearly enough for me and Aries." Arthur grimly stated. "What can I expect in return for frightening my children, using a phoenix to attempt to kidnap my son and even raising a hand against him?"

"Truthfully? You can expect that most of those idiots will be out of French prison before the end of the month, with Potters paying up one hell of a fine and being extradited to England under international laws. Dumbledore will most certainly lose his position of Supreme Mugwump in ICW and will never hold any post in it, nor will have any real power on international arena. England itself will be facing international isolation for such a violation of laws, though I doubt they'll even notice it, until it's citizens and government realizes that British Wizards and Witches won't find any job outside its own Isles. Bagnold and Crouch will be ousted from their offices, that is certain, and without a doubt." Francis told Arthur what he should expect to happen.

"In other words, after today, British will be personas non-grata in most countries of the Magical World, and if they attempt something like this again, ICW _will _intervene and clean England up." Eduard said with confidence to Arthur. "Potters and Dumbledore will never lay a finger upon your son again, not after today. That I can promise you, my dear friend."

"I most certainly hope so, Eduard, because if they do it again, I'll not hold back like today." Arthur didn't say it for nothing, but made a promise, as he will never let anything come and threaten his family ever again.

* * *

**Another chapter is done, and epilogue for Dark Prince also coming to fruition after ****_a long_**** last. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter and what it brought to you. Now onto some stuff that may need clarification.**

**1\. Mordred as Lord Black. Yes, I remember stating that he won't be an heir or anything like it, but it came to me when I was working on it all. Since I do believe that Sirius' parents had disinherited him and exiled him, he wouldn't be able to become Lord Black, and given the fact of Bellatrix not having any children (don't even think about Delphi), it becomes obvious that Aries' children would inherit all. And since I do believe Blacks, being very proud and arrogant as they were, would make sure that their line would not go extinct, they'd implement such an element in their inheritance laws. **

**Now, Mordred doesn't give a damn about House Black and his new status, he simply wants to be with his family, and the reason why he taking care of the debt is because he understands, that even if doesn't want to, he needs to do it. He may be a child still, but he is more mature than he appears, and understands that this is something that will bother and make trouble for him and his Mama, something he doesn't want. So, since he can't think of anything else, he decides to sell what he can to take care of the debt. He may be later come to take interest in his position as Lord Black, but it will be a long time before that may even happen.**

**2\. New ability. Now this is one of the abilities that Mordred in Fate universe has, called Mana Burst. Here, I'll work it into being a family gift of House Pendragon. You'll learn the details in next chapter, but before that just a bit of info: it is quite rare, was first discovered by the original Mordred, can be just as powerful as dangerous to use around others. While it is a powerful ability, I'll make sure to tone it to not OP level, if I can, but to the point where Mordred will have a solid ace in the hole when he needs it. Consider it something like Nym's metamorphic abilities and Parselmouth- rare, unique magical abilities.**

**Oh, and yeah, Pyrrha is from RWBY, as she is one of my favorite characters in the show and I am still very much salty and enraged at her death. It caused me to stop watching the show even. She and Fleur will be highlighted in the next chapter.**

**Review, suggest, question, offer your opinion on who would make Mordred happy and should be his love interest, first love and girlfriend. I really like your opinions.**

**Next time: Playtime in gardens; Mordred's Gift and its users; Oldest living Pendragon; Sisters meet.**


	5. Chapter 5

**August 7****th****. Château de Pendragon's gardens.**

The sun shined brightly, illuminating the lush and vast gardens of Chateau de Pendragon, where Mordred, Charlotte, Fleur and Pyrrha were currently passing time, while under the direct supervision of Apolline Delacour, Juno Medici and Morgan Pendragon and Raynare, who assigned as Mordred's personal maid. This was not the first time that the kids were playing the gardens together, nor was it the first time that Fleur and Pyrrha had met, as the two had known each other for quite some time. Branch Families and the Main Family were always well connected with each other and it was not surprising for many children to be as familiar with each other as were the adults with one another, as this is how the Houses forged bonds with each other that would last for a long time.

This was no exception, as Arthur and Aries wanted for their youngest son to be connected with the other members of Pendragon branches, as well as to heal his wounds made upon his soul. Physically, Mordred was already fully healed and in a perfect fit for a 7 year old boy, having fully inherited the traits of his parents. His grey hair was now the color and tone of his mother, along with azure colored eyes that he shared with his mother, while his facial shape reminded of Arthur in the same age. Though some evil tongues may state that Mordred looked nothing like Arthur Pendragon, the parents knew that their son had inherited more from his mother in terms of looks than from his father. Privately, Aries thought that her son would be a lady magnet with his looks, and she was a little happy that one of her children shared her looks.

And while physically Mordred was fine, spiritually and, to a certain degree, mentally, both parents knew that Mordred was still vulnerable and not as well as they had wanted him to be. Years of abusive life with Dursleys, the crime committed by Potters and pain he had to endure, there was no way for a child to simply walk it off without lasting damage.

He had nightmares about the time he was with Dursleys, waking up with sweat and screams, forcing Aries to spend time at his side during night, or have Raynare near him, as he grew to trust the raven-haired Nephilim maid that was assigned to him. He rarely if ever spoke about his time with them and whenever he did, there wasn't much that he revealed to anyone, safe Arthur, Aries and Morgan. A few times Fleur had tried to speak to Mordred about it, but he almost always shut himself away from here when reminded about the times, while Charlotte hadn't ever asked about his past, knowing full well that her brother would get hurt because of remembering it, and she didn't want him to be hurt.

Young Veela girl didn't understand that there were things that there are things that people are not comfortable with sharing with anyone, and because of that Fleur thought that Mordred didn't like to share his story with her and felt somewhat insulted because of that. Pyrrha, on the other hand, understood quickly that Mordred wasn't ready and comfortable to talk about his past, and so didn't probe him and tried to steer clear away from the topic. She also knew that the incident on the day of her arrival was very stressful for Mordred and his family, so she didn't speak of it, as everyone seemed more interested in putting it behind them.

Instead, Pyrrha and Mordred bonded over their shared likes of books and magic, as well as physical exercises, plus the fact that Mordred was Juno's godson and Pyrrha was Aries' goddaughter. The two quickly grew into friends and it was evident from the way they felt comfortable around one another, something that Juno and Valerio both noted almost instantly and felt both surprised and pleased with. Given the status and the fact that Pyrrha's father had died less than a year ago, Pyrrha was a bit shy and private, not one to open up as quickly as other children. She was often sheltered by her mother and older brother, rarely seen playing with other children and out of sight of her parent, older brother or someone trustworthy. It would seem that Juno's daughter would grow up to be a shut in girl, but her friendship with Mordred and connection she was making with him seemed to fix it, and it pleased Juno greatly, as she wanted only the best for her daughter.

She, along with Apolline, was sitting at the table, drinking tea and wathing the kids, while Morgan and Raynare were eying him while standing near the ladies. As they observed how Mordred was talking with Pyrrha actively, while Fleur looked like she was insulted, despite Charlotte trying to cheer her up. Apolline seemed a bit concerned at the fact that her daughter seemed distraught and spoke up.

"Hm, it looks like Mordred seems to ignore Fleur in favor of Pyrrha. Looks like your little darling likes to hog all the nice boys to herself, Juno." Apolline spoke up with a small snide, getting Juno's attention. "You know, before you and your family had appeared here Mordred wouldn't ever ignore my dear Fleur even for a second when they were playing in here or in my house, but now that Pyrrha appeared…"

"Apolline, please don't make it sound like my daughter is actively trying to steal Mordred away from Fleur, as if she was stealing a husband from his wife." Juno asked of her with a sigh, taking a sip from her cup, before taking a glance towards the children. "I doubt there is any need to be concerned, as all I see are our daughters connecting with Mordred like all kids do at their age. Sure, Mordred and Pyrrha do seem to be chatting like there is no tomorrow, but do remember that before we appeared here, your darling had almost half a month to get to know Mordred. And as far as I've heard from Aries, you and your darling were with him practically every day."

"You've almost moved here to live." Morgan spoke up with chuckle at the memory, getting the attention from both ladies. "I don't know why you are so worried about Fleur and Mordred straying away or something. I know for a fact that he considers her to be his best friend and a first one at that, safe for me and Charle, but we are family so we don't count. She may be his bestie, but that doesn't mean that he can't hang out with other nice folks, like Pyrrha. I sure don't hang out with Nym _all _the time I have, as I've got lots of friends to be with as well, though nowadays, I wouldn't consider Nym to be my bestie, or a friend at all…" Morgan said with a bit of a sad tone.

"You two still aren't on talking terms?" Juno asked of Morgan, who shook her head.

"After what she said about mom and did, and all because some stupid boy that she was crushing told her about it… I'm not going to be the one to go and ask for forgiveness, not until she is the first one to come and do so, and even then I doubt we'll be as close as before." Morgan said firmly, with Juno approving.

"Aries and Arthur must be very proud of you, my dear, standing up for her like you did and not backing down even when losing a best friend. You have all the makings of a fine Pendragon Lady." Juno complimented her. "Draconian blood truly runs strong with you. A shame though that Arthur and Aries couldn't join us, though I am curious where did they go and what could so important to them?"

"Lord Arthur is currently in the French Ministry in Paris, on an audience with French Minister, regarding the incident with Potters and Dumbledore that transpired a week ago. Lady Aries had received a call from one of her old patients and was asked to provide professional help, and she agreed, having left two hours ago." Raynare reported dutifully.

"Thank you." Juno nodded to the maid.

"What a scandal that was. I can hardly even believe the gall and dare of British Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix, to actually arrive here unannounced and try to kidnap a child in a broad daylight. Robert told me that when he arrived the boy was unconscious and that the Brits were trying to break through the barrier to grab him back. I can't even fathom how those so called 'parents' had hurt him so much, and even would knock him out just to take him!" Apolline was positively furious at the thoughts, while Juno, Morgan and Raynare picked up on the fact of Apolline thinking that Mordred was knocked out by Potters.

"They didn't knock him out, though Black did strike him on the back of his head. He was knocked out because he had released his Mana Burst." Juno said to Apolline, who looked perplexed at that. "Didn't Robert tell you about it?"

"No, and this is the first time I hear of this Burst. What is it?" Apolline was instantly interested in finding out about it.

"A rare and powerful magical ability, which can only surface out in the members of House Pendragon or its Branch Families. According to our records, this ability was created by Mordred the Avenger and it was because of this ability that he had managed to defeat Merlin in a single combat. This ability allows the user to concentrate powerful and potent magical energy, either to expel it out of his body to hurt his enemies, or to focus it on strengthening the user himself in physical aspect." Juno explained to Apolline. "Mordred had inherited it, and used it to push his captors away from him when he unleashed his Mana Burst."

"Couldn't it have been a bout of accidental magic? Children when stressed can perform it without any sort of control." Apolline asked of Juno, who shook her head at that.

"No, that was definitely Mana Burst, no doubt about it." Juno confirmed it, taking a look at Mordred, who seemed to be engaged in a heated argument with Fleur now, while Pyrrha and Charle tried to calm them down. "Apolline, I think it's best we…" In that moment, the two ladies saw how Mordred expelled from him red violent energy, which had caused Fleur to jump away with a cry of pain as it stung her hand.

**A few minutes prior.**

Fleur was not having fun as usual, but instead she was practically fuming as she watched her best friend, and arguably first real friend, Mordred chatting with Pyrrha Medici of all people. Young daughter of House Delacour was never of high opinion about Pyrrha and considered her to be a strange shut-in girl that doesn't like to hang out with others or to even appear when the Pendragon family was hosting a gathering for all its members and branch families.

For Fleur, who liked to shine on such occasions and was raised by her mother to thrive in the high society, such behavior was an oddity and unbecoming of a Lady of the Noble House. Because of that Fleur had long decided that Pyrrha wasn't someone really interesting or worth becoming friends with, unlike Mordred whom she quickly grew very attached to. He didn't get affected by her developing Allure and liked to spend time with her of his own volition, and Fleur was very happy to have him all to herself. The days she spent with him were among the happiest she had ever had, and she didn't want anyone to stand between her and Mordred playing and spending time together, especially not Pyrrha Medici of all people!

It was a well-known fact that Veelas were a race that possessed a great deal of pride in themselves and were not known for being very charitable, especially when it came down to their close friends and loved ones. Veelas and even part Veelas considered such people to be part of their life and were very territorial and even aggressive at times when someone was getting close to them without Veela's approval. Such interesting selfishness was a part of Veela's nature and this territorial instinct was not easy to overcome, especially for a young child that still had no full picture on the features and abilities of the Veelas.

To Fleur, seeing someone getting this close to Mordred and that someone being Pyrrha was simply unbearable for her. She couldn't and wouldn't stand for it, and even though Charle had tried to calm her down, clearly seeing that Fleur was getting mad, it didn't help. After a few minutes of watching Mordred and Pyrrha chatting like a pair of love birds, in Fleur's mind, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Pyrrha, why don't you and Charlotte go and play somewhere else?" Fleur suddenly spoke in an insulted tone, getting everyone's attention. "It's clear that Mordred is just too polite to tell you that he isn't all that interested in your company as he is my best friend." That comment was enough to make Pyrrha distraught, while Mordred felt himself getting angry at Fleur for what she said towards Pyrrha and Charle, who too looked a little distraught.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Mordred, for being so…" Pyrrha tried to apologize, but was stopped by Mordred.

"You don't have to apologize, Pyrrha, and I really like your company and you as well." Mordred smiled to her, making Pyrrha happy with what he said and infuriating Fleur even more. "Fleur that was a mean thing to say to Pyrrha, when she is just being friendly with us. Apologize to her, please." Mordred asked of Fleur nicely.

"Hm, why should apologize to her when all she's just doing is hogging you all to herself and not even understand that you are my friend." Fleur huffed, with Mordred becoming visibly distraught with what she just said. "And why do you even talk with her like that? She is just a weird girl that doesn't like to hang with right people, not like you and me."

"She isn't that different from us, Fleur, and Pyrrha is just not comfortable with other people that she doesn't know personally or much about." Mordred told her with a bit of force. "And those right people you are talking about… You start to sound like Potters and Dumbledore, Fleur."

"Well, maybe they too have a good idea like I do about who you should be hanging out with and with whom not." Fleur, blinded by her insulted ego and pride, told Mordred, who widened his eyes, along with Charle. "And why do you don't like them so much? I know that they made a mistake in exiling you, but they are still pretty famous and great and Dumbledore is believed to be the greatest wizard of all time."

"They aren't great, and Dumbledore is not the greatest wizard. He is just an old damn fool who doesn't know how to stay out of others business, kinda like you right now." Mordred, fueled by his anger at what Fleur had told him and how she reacted to him being with Pyrrha, told her. "They are bad and you shouldn't saying that they are great like it's a good thing. And just because I'm your friend, doesn't mean I can't hang out with other people."

"Of course it means that! If you are my friend, they you should like things that I like and people I like, that's how friends work." Fleur practically shouted at him. "And if you are hanging out with this weirdo then you too must be a weirdo, Mordred, and that's a bad thing that you shouldn't do!"

"Um, Fleur, Mordred, let's all just calm down and…" Charle had tried to diffuse the situation but failed.

"And why shouldn't I hang out with Pyrrha, and what if she is not like others? She is still my friend and I am glad that I've met her, and what you are saying right now Fleur is not right. You are sound like those dumb mean girls Morgan told me about, who only care about cute boys and don't have much of a brain in them." Mordred didn't feel sorry about what he just told Fleur.

"I am dumb?! Then you… You are a selfish stupid kid that was abandoned because you were too stupid!" Fleur answered back without any consideration, making Pyrrha and Charle widen their eyes at that one. "Arthur and Aries took you in only out of pity and nothing more! You are just garbage to them and…"

Fleur's words hurt Mordred and they hurt him a lot, and even though his better part of the mind was telling him not to listen to her, he couldn't just ignore her words. She acted mean and like a prat when speaking to Pyrrha and him, and it started to boil his blood and make him angry, more than before. Ever since he had nearly been kidnapped, Mordred had felt like there was fire inside of him and it warmed him, but when he was getting angry, he felt the fire get stronger and make him want to retaliate.

His very being demanded that he responded and didn't let the one who insulted him walk away without paying for it. And right now that someone was Fleur, who called him garbage and that he was taken in out of pity. All of that, just because he liked Pyrrha and wanted to be her friend, when Fleur didn't like her and didn't understand that she couldn't command him like she did. He was her friend, not her toy, and not her servant like he was to Dursleys. No, he wasn't garbage and he wasn't someone stupid, it was Fleur who was being stupid right now.

Without any warning, Mordred's face contorted out of anger and before Fleur could finish her sentence, he felt the familiar feeling of energy coursing through his body. He wanted to hurt Fleur for her bad words, to make her sorry for them and he was going to. Red energy enveloped his body and without any warning beforehand, a small red lightning of it traveled away from Mordred and towards Fleur. In a single second, it struck her in the arm, stinging her and dispersing without a trace, before Fleur cried out in pain with tears in her eyes. Within the next second, with all anger dissipating from him, Mordred realized what he had just done and wanted nothing more but to apologize, but Apolline and the others gotten to them and Lady Delacour was not happy with what he had done.

"What did you do to my little girl?!" Apolline practically screeched at Mordred, her human features retreating and revealing her Veela form to them, scaring Mordred, Pyrrha and Charlotte.

"I-I didn't… I am sorry, I didn't know what would… Fleur, I…" Mordred was scared and couldn't fully form sentences, while Fleur cried out of pain from her hand burning.

"You will be sorry when I make you pay for what you did!" Apolline, whose maternal instinct took over and was amplified by her Veela's nature, moved her clawed hand towards Mordred to grab him, only to be stopped when Juno placed him, Pyrrha and Charle behind herself and near Raynare and Morgan.

"Apolline, control yourself! You are scaring the children and not making this any better with this!" Juno demanded of her, before turning to Morgan and Raynare with children. "Morgan, take the children and go to the house. Call your parents, I'll handle things here."

"Alright, c'mon kids, let's go." Morgan led the shocked and scared kids away, before Apolline moved to intercept them.

"He isn't going anywhere until…" In that moment, Raynare placed herself between Apolline and the children, showing with all her being that she was ready to use force.

In the meantime Juno quickly moved to alleviate Fleur's pain and heal her stung hand. Fortunately, there wasn't any lasting damage being made and even with her limited knowledge on the subject, she was able to quickly heal her hand. When she did so, Juno noticed that Morgan and the kids had gotten to the mansion and it was no doubt that Arthur and Aries were going to soon respond. In the meantime, she was going to find out what in the world had caused this whole situation to happen, and also make sure that Apolline, in her fit of Veela rage and pride didn't muddle up the details. Knowing of the Veelas' personalities and how they acted, Juno had a feeling that Fleur had somehow provoked Mordred into using Mana Burst.

And if that was the case, it was clear that there was now a new conflict that Arthur will have to mediate.

* * *

**An hour later.**

The last thing that both Arthur and Aries had wanted was for their family to get involved in more conflict, especially if it was conflict within the extensive Pendragon family, but it would seem they weren't to have such thing. Both parents quickly arrived back home, with Arthur also bringing along Robert as it was clear that he would be needed to sort out what had happened while they were away. It took some time, but both Lord and Lady Pendragon had been brought up to speed, concerning the events of what had transpired. While they weren't pleased with how Mordred had reacted to what Fleur had said, it was nothing when compared to how they felt about Fleur's words concerning their son. Needless to say that when Robert had heard about it, he apologized for his daughter's behavior and how his wife had reacted, along with promising to discipline her.

Arthur and Aries would also have words with their son about what had happened, but that would be later, as right now they were concerned with his Mana Burst showing itself again. This time, the damage was miniscule and quickly negated, however it was becoming clear to them both that they have to deal with this as soon as possible, lest their son hurts himself or someone else just because he was feeling angry. Arthur already knew that this needed to be dealt with, and that there was only Pendragon that could help Mordred, and Lord Pendragon had gotten in contact with him just yesterday. In the meantime, Arthur decided to put an end to this conflict before it became even worse.

"Alright, it is clear that both Mordred and Fleur share the blame for what had happened, and I do not condone any of your behaviors, yet I can't deny the fact that you, Fleur, have acted in the worst way possible. Your attitude and behavior are unbecoming of a Lady of the noble House Delacour, and will not be tolerated by House Pendragon and have never been welcomed." Arthur spoke in serious tone, with the children looking down at the floor. "I won't tell you two to apologize immediately, because forgiveness needs to be earnest. You will meet in a few days, having thought all about it and what you had done, and in the meantime, Robert and Apolline, please tell Fleur why her words had such an effect on our son, and why her behavior is not going to be tolerated within this House."

"We will, Arthur. That I promise you, and you have my profoundest apologies for the behavior of my wife and daughter, Juno. Now, let's go home, and have a _very _serious conversation about both of your attitudes." Robert with his wife and daughter had left Arthur's study.

"Um, Lord Pendragon, I-I'm sorry that I've caused this and…" Pyrrha spoke up with a meek voice, before being stopped by Lady Pendragon.

"Pyrrha, my dear, there is nothing for you to be sorry about. You were just caught in the crossfire between a jealous Fleur and righteously angered Mordred. There is no need for you to apologize when you have done nothing wrong." Aries smiled to her.

"But because of me Mordred and Fleur had a fight and I had no right to get involved, when the two of them are already friends and…" Pyrrha once again wasn't allowed to finish her sentence, when Aries spoke up again.

"Pyrrha, there is nothing wrong for Mordred to want to be _your _friend, but what Fleur had said and did was not right. Even if she is part Veela and the same age as you, it is not only wrong to be sorting people like she did, and thinking that those not like here are not good people. Such mentality is not only wrong, but atrocious and leads to nothing more than violence and bigotry." Aries told her, before taking a glance at her son. "How Mordred reacted may've not been how I would've dealt with the situation, but he did the right thing in my eyes, even if in wrong way."

"You children are allowed to have friends, and there is nothing wrong if one of your friends doesn't get along with the other one, unless they make you choose between them. A real friend will accept your choice of friends and even if not agree with it, he or she will not oppose you in spending time with that friend, but only if they don't feel that the friend you wish to hang out is up to no good. And I believe, my dear, that Mordred is a right type of friend for you and I am glad that you get along with him so well." Juno smiled to her daughter, making her feel better, before turning to Arthur. "I think Pyrrha and I will retire to our chambers until lunch. If you will excuse us…" Arthur nodded to them, with both Juno and Pyrrha leaving the study, with Mordred speaking up once the door closed.

"Mama, Papa, what Fleur said… Did you just take pity on me, or…" Mordred spoke in a quiet tone, vulnerable undertone clear as day to his parents.

"Mordred, your mother and I have never loved you out of pity and even before you were fully ours, we grew to love you as if you were our own." Arthur told him, kneeling before him and looking in his blue eyes. "I will be honest with you and tell you that when you were just born, we didn't think we were going to be such a great part of your life. We expected James and Lily to be your parents and take responsibility for you, but they didn't, leaving you to Euphemia and Charlus. They may've acted out of good intentions at the time, but the fact of them not even bothering with seeing you for first days, weeks and then months was enough for me and Aries to realize that we couldn't just watch you being left without parents."

"Your grandmother had chosen us as your godparents not because we would've pitied you, but because she knew that if something happened, we would care for and love you as if your true parents." Aries joined in, coming closer to her son. "And so it happened that you were left practically parentless, and we stepped up, to give you what you deserved and needed- love and parents. We did not just out of pity for someone else's child, but because we genuinely loved you and that love had only strengthened over the years and time we spend together. You didn't become an adopted son to me, but a true child to me and Arthur and a brother to Gawain, Morgana and Charlotte. And what Fleur told you was said in a rush of the moment and when she didn't think about her words." Mordred seemed to have calmed down and stopped thinking about what Fleur had said.

"But, why did Fleur say it, and why did she act like she did? I mean, she and Pyrrha are kind of similar to one another, then why did she act like she hated Pyrrha?" Mordred asked of them.

"Because Fleur doesn't want to admit that she is different from everyone else and because of that she tries to act like she isn't different from all other people." Arthur told Mordred. "And you are right in saying that Fleur is similar to Pyrrha, though they are not completely alike. Fleur, despite being different, wants to have friends and fit in with everyone else by trying to act like others would, and because Pyrrha doesn't act like she does, Fleur thought that it was okay to act as she did. In reality, acting like she did was not only wrong, but also atrocious, and I do hope that Fleur realizes it and comes to ask forgiveness from Pyrrha."

"I'd like to apologize to her myself, for hurting her like I did, but I don't like how she acted to Pyrrha. It was wrong and it made me angry when she said all those things." Mordred told them. "Papa, when I got angry and used that magic, was that what you call 'draconian blood' acting in me?"

"Yes, it was draconian blood at works in you, Mordred, though very few in our family have had the ability you have." Arthur told him. "Draconian blood is something that all members of Pendragon family, main line or branches, have and it may show itself to differing degrees in various members, but Mana Burst is a unique ability only few Pendragons have access to. Not even I or your mother knows much about it, so because of you having unlocked it, I've called someone who happens to be most knowledgeable about it."

Before either Mordred or Aries could speak up, the doors into the study opened up, and through them stepped inside a tall and elderly looking man, with long well managed grey beard and grey hair, with green eyes looking at Mordred directly. Young boy recognized the man dressed in robes as Agravain Percival Pendragon, the man that commanded the ritual that made Harry Potter into Mordred Pendragon. He stepped closer to Lord and Lady, taking a glance at Mordred, before speaking up.

"Arthur, thank you for contacting me. I hope that aside from a phoenix being destroyed, nothing serious had happened?" Agravain asked of him, with Arthur replying.

"A small spat between children, but there was nothing serious." Arthur told him, with Agravain nodding to him before stepping closer to Mordred.

"Well, young Mordred, I had certainly not expected to be meeting you so soon and I most certainly did not anticipate you to possess my brother's Gift. If you will allow me to confirm it…" He extended his hand onto the boy's head, as if taking his temperature, before retracting it. "Yes, Mordred's Gift runs strong in you, young man. It is surprising that you've managed to unlock it at such a young age. Most unlock it at the age closer to 15 or past it, but not at 7. Though if I had to guess, I would say that Morenna's Syndrome and excessive magical reserves you've accumulated had something to do with your abilities emerging like they did."

"Um, thank you, but why did you say that it was your brother's gift?" Mordred suddenly asked of Agravain, making him blink a few times, before chuckling, while Aries eyed him with suspicion. "You can't be that old, because Mordred the Avenger lived over 900 years ago."

"And who says I can't be that old, when there are people who have lived well past the human and wizarding limitations, like Nicholas Flammel?" Agravain asked of him. "But you've caught me there, boy. My own fault for a slip up, but clever of you to catch on it. Mordred was truly my brother, though I was not born originally in his House, yet was accepted into it, just like you were."

"What do you mean?" Aries asked of him. "Just who are you? I've studied the history of House Pendragon, and I know for a fact that Agravain was a relative of King Arthur on his mother's side, yet had no relation to Lady Morgana and Mordred, and he had no brothers, neither adopted nor natural."

"A part of history that was purposefully omitted from being revealed, so as to safeguard secrets that House Pendragon possesses, Lady Aries. Secrets that your husband had sworn to make sure that they stay unknown to the wizarding world, lest a catastrophe were to happen." Agravain said to her and Mordred. "But, I do see that you are a good woman and a caring mother, and that I may trust you with some of the secrets this House holds."

With that being said, Agravain stepped away from them, before his beard began to retract itself into his head, with his hair turning from grey into black. Robes on him magically became a modern suit, when his beard completely disappeared and the face of Agravain changed from one of an old man into one of a young handsome man with unkempt black hair, emerald eyes and a somewhat average, yet attractive, visage. He fixed his suit up a little, before speaking up in a more youthful and just as mature tone of voice.

"Now, allow me to introduce myself to you in a proper fashion, Lady Pendragon." He made a small bow. "Galahad Uther Pendragon, formerly known as Galahad du Lac, born son of Lancelot du Lac and Lady Elaine of Astolat, adopted son to King Arthur and Lady Morgana and brother to Mordred Pendragon, true Heir and King of Camelot, as well as the last surviving Knight of the Round Table and the Custodian of House Pendragon and Isle of Avalon." Now revealed Galahad looked at the shocked looking Aries and Mordred.

"Galahad du Lac? The very same Galahad that had managed to retrieve The Holy Grail and was considered to be the greatest knight of Camelot? Y-You can't be him, you would have to be… H-how can you even look so young and why…" Aries had quite a great deal of questions, with Galahad deciding to answer them.

"I wouldn't consider myself personally as the greatest Knight of Camelot, nor was I as integral and virtuous as the legends of modern day may portray me, but I did complete the quest for The Holy Grail and have held in my hands, milady. And that very same Grail is the reason for my extended lifespan and youthful visage and exterior." Galahad told her, with Aries beginning to analyze what he just said. "I shall spare you the details that led me to gain possession of it, and will simply state that I had been forced to drink from it and through the act of it, I gained my eternal youth and inability to die a natural death. I can be killed, of course, but other than a direct action, I am safe from any illness, poison and so forth."

"There is no magical artifact that could ever accomplish such a feat…" Aries muttered out loud.

"And The Holy Grail is no magical artifact, as it truly is a _Holy_ relic, created by the God and which was used by his son Jesus Christ." Galahad told her, astonishing Aries even more. "I do not know what your opinion of the religion may be, Lady Aries, but I can assure you that there are powers beyond what any wizard or witch is capable of. The Holy Grail is one such manifestation of powers beyond the grasp of most mortals, while Saints or Holy Persons are living proof of the will of God made life. Jeanne d'Arc herself was one such person and she was never a witch or could even use a wand, yet her powers and abilities had saved Magical France. But we are straying away from the reason as to why I've left Avalon and came here." Galahad looked at Mordred.

"Avalon? As in Island of Avalon, the same one where King Arthur is said to be laying?" Aries asked of him, with Arthur speaking up.

"Like his title implies, Galahad is a Custodian of Isle of Avalon and of traditions and history of House Pendragon. What that means, Aries, is that he safeguards the Isle and all that is kept safe there, away from those that would be most happy to get their hands upon, like The Holy Grail itself, or Excalibur." Arthur told her. "Over the centuries, my House had acquired a great deal of such items and knowledge that is best left untouched and out of reach from those that may try to obtain it."

"To be fair, I am not safeguarding Excalibur, and I haven't seen the damn thing in over 5 centuries, since my dear Viviane wouldn't even show it to me, and she's shown quite a great deal of things to me." Galahad noted out with a suggestive chuckle, before getting hit with stinging hex in his leg. "Hey, watch where you are firing! That came awfully close to my private area, Aries!"

"Then do please get to the point, Sir Galahad, and enlighten us upon the fact as why are you a Pendragon and not du Lac anymore." Aries put her wand away, with Galahad sighing and speaking up.

"The short version is that when my original father was discovered having an affair with Guinevere, a great deal of Knights had started to doubt my loyalties and wanted me removed from the court. But King Arthur stepped up and stated before all that he trusted me as if I were his very son and to dispel any doubts, went on ahead and adopted me as his own, with Lady Morgana volunteering to be my next mother. Needless to say, King Arthur had proven his point and I became a Pendragon, though with no right to the throne." Galahad explained to Aries. "Now, we have a more important business to attend to. Mordred, I want you to first understand that just because you have Mana Burst, that doesn't mean that you can just go ahead and forget about using a wand and normal magic."

"I get it." Mordred nodded to Galahad.

"I believe you don't get it completely, yet, but I do see that you are listening to me and that is good. Now, let me tell you something about Mana Burst." Galahad continued. "This ability is only met within those of Pendragon bloodline, like you and I, and it is connected to the draconian blood. You've already felt like you had a fire burning within you, warming you and strengthening your being, and when you are angered, you feel this fire surge through your being and boiling your blood. It needs release and demands that you unleash it and make those that angered you sorry they've hurt you. You've felt that, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I felt it, exactly that." Mordred told Galahad. "H-how do you know how it feels?"

Galahad simply raised his left hand pointed it towards the fire place in the study. In the next second all of them witnessed how white energy surged out of Galahad's hand and left it in a form of bolt of lightning. In the next second, it hit the fire place and lit the fire there. He turned his head and looked Mordred right in the eyes and spoke up.

"Mordred was the first one to discover how to do it, I followed in his footsteps, and believe me, it was a challenge greater than most our feats to master this power." Galahad told young Mordred. "Soon after activation, your magic will undergo a certain change, as it will become more potent and powerful so that make you more capable when using Mana Burst. At the same time, your emotions will become stronger, especially your anger will become far greater than before, and every time you feel angered, your powers will rise up and the energy will need release. That's how you've used Mana Burst and it was powerful enough to destroy a phoenix, an impressive feat, especially for your first time."

"But phoenixes are essentially immortal, how did I manage to destroy it like this without it being reborn?" Mordred asked, with Galahad answering.

"You've disrupted the magic of that bird with your own energy, disabling it from being reborn. This trait is universal for all users of Mana Burst- ability to destroy and disrupt magic of other users." Galahad explained to him. "Mordred, Mana Burst is a very powerful and extremely deadly ability, but it is just as dangerous as it is valuable to its user. Without proper control of your emotions and how to channel your will, you _will_ end up hurting those around you and won't be able to control yourself. I have seen how using Mana Burst had changed people and it was not for the good. The sense of power, energy rushing through your very being and all of your fibers, it is an intoxicating feeling, but it is also a poison that changes you. Power corrupts as the saying goes, and this power corrupts absolutely. So until I am completely and utterly sure that you can handle your emotions and control your temper, I will not be teaching you how to channel and control it. Instead, I will teach you how to control yourself and fight off the fury and anger, how to make it into your ally and supporter instead of your tyrant and ruler."

"So, I'll first learn how to handle myself when I am angered?" Mordred asked of Galahad, who nodded to him. "Good, when can we start?" Galahad didn't hide his surprise away from them all.

"Are you not distraught that you won't be learning the cool stuff until much later? Most of those that I've worked with didn't like me teaching them first how to control themselves, especially those on the younger side of age." Galahad told him.

"I… I just had a fight with my best friend, and when she said some stupid things, things that I should've known she didn't mean, I snapped and used this ability to hurt her. I didn't think, I didn't control myself, and just hurt her with my energy." Mordred told Galahad, who understood now why the boy was eager to learn self-control. "We were arguing and after she said some dumb stuff, I didn't even wait and used it… I don't want to do it again, and even though she was in the wrong, I don't want to hurt my friends and family just because they make me angry. I want to be better than I was today, and if you can help me do it, then I'll do it." Galahad, as well as Mordred's parents smiled at him.

"Alright kid. We'll begin tomorrow." Galahad promised him.

* * *

**August 17****th****. London.**

A crack of apparition sound the empty space of back alley, and in the next second out of there stepped Aries, dressed in civilian clothes and looking every bit as a non-magical as it could be. To better blend it and not stick out among the crowd, she had put a small charm on her hair, making her snow white hair look like sun kissed blonde, which she gathered up in a bun. Fixing up her attire a little bit and gripping her bag, she walked through the streets of London towards her destination, people paying her no mind or apologizing if someone had bumped into her.

Aries could've simply put a fairly simple unnoticeable charm, so that none would see or notice her, but she decided to simply blend in with the crowd, and so far she had absolutely no problem. In the past, Aries may've been fairly uncomfortable around non-magicals, or Muggles as she called them in ignorance, but after years spent with Arthur and learning of the mundane world, Aries came to regard non-magicals as equals to wizarding kind. She was completely fine with most of them and could pass as one, seeing as she was a certified medical expert and had the same grasp of technologies and terminology as average non-magicals. She even had a driving license, one that she earned without using magic or any form of foul play, though she did prefer a walk and allow Arthur to drive her in car.

After a few minutes of walk, Aries reached a prestigious and fancy restaurant, where she was supposed to meet someone. She walked towards a receptionist and spoke up.

"Good day. I have reserved a private table for two on name of Arianna Blake." Aries spoke to the receptionist girl, who looked through the book.

"Yes, may I see your credentials, please?" Aries nodded to her and pulled out her specially prepared passport, which the girl checked. "Ah, thank you, Mrs. Blake, and pardon the scrutiny. We often have to deal with people with a false identity and who try to get inside without checking. Last week we've had to force out of here a rather violent woman who had somehow gotten in here, with receptionist not remembering a thing about her. She didn't even have a passport and still expected to be served."

"I can imagine that she was a rather handful client. My table, if you may?" Aries asked of the girl, as she put her passport back.

"Table number 7, by the window and look on the river. Please enjoy your stay, and would you care to inform us about your companion when he or she is arriving?" The girl asked politely.

"I believe she will be arriving in ten or so minutes. She has hair of brighter tone than mine, and is probably dressed in black and green. Oh, and do forgive her if she may seem a bit out of place. My sister isn't very used to such populated cities, preferring more rural and spacious areas." Aries asked of the receptionist, who nodded to her and allowed her to move forward.

Aries moved towards her table and took a seat, admiring the rich exterior of the restaurant and well-made decorations. Having ordered a cup of tea, Aries started waiting, before drifting into her own thoughts about everything that had happened in the past days. It had been well over a week since Galahad started teaching her son how to control his emotions and contain his energy, and Aries had to admit that the ancient Knight of the Round Table was clearly a master of his craft.

He had managed to get Mordred to trust him and teach him how to calm down and control ones feelings, seemingly teaching Mordred the basics of the Occlumency. Though it only was a short while since they've begun, Aries could see clear as day that her son was getting better emotionally and spiritually, as nightmares had stopped bothering him and he seemed even more cheerful than usual. At the same time, her son expressed a heightened attention to details and focus on the studies, which improved his already good quality of learning.

While he and Fleur weren't still on the speaking terms, Aries was calm and happy that her son was doing well, and that he and Pyrrha had gotten so well together and became very close friends. It warmed Aries' heart knowing that her son and goddaughter were getting along famously and that Pyrrha now had a real friend with whom she could spend time with. The girl had a very sweet and nice disposition and deserved to have loyal and good friends, not those that would simply hang out with her just out of her position and because of her family. As a member of House Black, Aries was quite well familiar with the feeling of people trying to be friends with her just out of money and position of her house.

And speaking of the House Black, it was now a universally known fact that Sirius wasn't the real Lord Black and that Mordred was the real one. From what Aries heard, Sirius was ousted from the Wizengamot and out of Ministry with jeers and mocking, with not even Frank Longbottom stopping the humiliation of his friend. The Minister of Magic Bagnold, who had finally been ousted yesterday, had tried to send an invitation to Mordred to take his seat in the Wizengamot the day it became known he was Lord Black, but, obviously, she had gotten no response on the invitation.

As for House Black itself and its financial situation, Mordred's decision to simply sell everything that could cover up the massive debt that Aries' House had racked up was a good one. It did empty out an entire vault of numerous and powerful dark artifacts, as well as sold three out five estates of House Black in Britain with all the assets inside, but it did close the debt and now House Medici with Juno was satisfied with the results.

After the sales, Mordred had managed to acquire a sizable sum of money that he didn't know what to do with, so instead of just spending it, he gave it to Aries, saying that as his mother she would find a better uses for it. Aries didn't try to argue with her son and de-facto her Lord, so she just took the money and put most of it in the Medici Bank, opening an account there for Mordred. The small amount that she kept was used by her to make buy additional equipment for her research of lycanthropy and how to best combat it.

Though her research was only barely over a month old, she did manage to do some progress and the result she was seeing didn't look promising in terms of creating an effective cure from lycanthropy. The werewolves' immune system seemed far stronger than that of wizards and witches, and even most of magical creatures and races, making any possible cure simply ineffective as the organism would simply overpower it with the antibodies created by it. Aries had tried to combat this extreme immunity through magical and scientific means, but wasn't successful. Because of that she was shifting her focus from creating a cure to creating an effective way to resist the virus of lycanthropy and protecting the victim from being turned into a werewolf when bitten. If she couldn't have a full cure yet, she would settle on a vaccine first and work her way from it.

As Aries mused in her thoughts about her scientific affairs, she didn't notice how her expected guest had come and made her way to her table. It was a woman of similar to Aries age. She had similar to Aries hair and fair looks, dressed in black and green attire that at least remotely looked like non-magical style. Her eyes were of a colder shade of blue, which looked directly into Aries', as she spoke up.

"Aries, thank you for answering my letter." She greeted her, with Aries offering her to sit. "I wasn't sure that you would come."

"Well, when your youngest sister writes to you for the first time in five years and wants to meet you in person, and without her husband near her, I couldn't resist myself, Narcissa." Aries spoke to her youngest sister. "I trust you have no trouble traversing London proper? I wouldn't want to have to deal with Ministry's officials that came to deal with any accidents you've caused."

"I've managed just fine, sister, despite how… Innumerable and ignorant these Muggles are." Narcissa said with a barely contained contempt. "It is a shame that we can't meet in a more appropriate and befitting of our status place. But this place will have to do."

"If you wished to remain inconspicuous and hidden, then I am afraid that you have a poor choice of meeting places, as this is, if I remember correctly, the most expensive and prestigious restaurant in all of London and possibly in UK." Aries noted to Narcissa. "And if I remember correctly, you and Lucius only prefer to eat at the most expensive establishments imaginable. Speaking of your husband, is he aware that you've resumed contact with your older sister and wife of the man that had nearly killed him?"

"No, he isn't. Does your husband know about this meeting?" Narcissa asked of Aries, expecting to score at least the small victory over her.

"Why wouldn't he know? He was the one who made the reservations on my name here." Aries replied in a casual tone. "I have very few secrets from my husband, and do forgive me, Narcissa, but when it comes down to your husband or England in general, we prefer to be aware of our actions when they are connected to my homeland, especially after the most recent events."

"Yes, I've followed the newspapers and I must say that I didn't think you've had it in you to steal a child from Potters, sister." Narcissa remarked with a bit of a chuckle. "Though I do find it somewhat puzzling why would you even care for that Squib in the first place? After all, what use is he for you and Arthur, when you two have three magically able and pureblooded…"

"Narcissa, finish that sentence and I am leaving for good." Aries said in an ice cold tone, making Narcissa shut up. "Now, what is it that you've wanted to talk to me about, and do choose your words wisely, because another insult towards my son, and I will not hold myself responsible for my following actions." Narcissa understood her sister well enough and knew that she wasn't kidding.

"Very well, I shall get straight to the point." Narcissa took a breath in. "It is my understand that you have adopted the Potter's child as your own through the Ritual of Blood Acceptance, am I correct?"

"Yes, Arthur and I have taken him as our and now he is our son." Aries confirmed it to Narcissa, before deciding to take a guess. "Does this have something to do with the fact of Mordred being Lord Black instead of Sirius?" From a momentary pause, Aries knew that she was right on the money.

"Yes, it does. It hasn't gone without a notice by the members of our society that House Black had suddenly lost a great deal of its assets, with several estates being sold out, as well as an entire vault filled with artifacts and goblin jewelry being emptied out. Would you care to elaborate as to what is it that you are doing with our House's assets, sister?" Narcissa asked of Aries.

"Me? I am doing nothing, since I have no access to it. But I see that you believe that I am the one behind Mordred's actions. Well, allow me to dispel that notion and tell you that what has been happening was done at Mordred's orders and to the benefit of House Black, without my supervision, but with my approval." Aries simply took a sip of her tea.

"Are you really going to convince me that your son had just simply sold out a great deal of our House's property and assets without you doing anything about it? Do you take me for a fool, Aries? What game are you playing?" Narcissa wasn't convinced. "That boy is only 7 years old and probably doesn't even know how to write his own name, much less how to handle a Most Ancient and Noble House Black."

"Actually, he does know how to write, on three languages to be precise, and he handles our House far better than Arcturus and Orion did." Aries stated to her with confidence, but no boasting. "He took the necessary action to pay for the debts that our bankrupted House had managed accumulate over the years. Debts to House Medici no less."

"House Black was taking money from Medici? For how long and just how much money…"

"More than a quarter of your husband's entire fortune, if my personal accounts are to be trusted." Aries replied in a calm voice, making Narcissa pale a little at the amount of money House Black owed. "Mordred made the only rational decision in the situation and settled the debt. And he did quite well, considering that he wants nothing to do with House Black."

"But he can't just ignore his responsibilities, especially now when House Black is in his hands and…" Narcissa spoke with passion, only to be stopped by Aries.

"And what do you want from my son and Lord Black, Narcissa?" Aries asked her directly, making her younger sister shut up for a moment and speak up again.

"I want… I want him to annul my marriage with Lucius." Now that was a surprise and something that gotten Aries' attention. "As Lord Black, only he has the power to overrule the decision made by his predecessor and terminate the union between House Black and House Malfoy."

"Well, this is certainly something I wasn't expecting you to say." Aries admitted to her. "What's the reason behind the sudden desire to get away from Lucius, given that you were so in love with him and married him out of love and not out of status? And if I recall correctly, you two have a son, don't you?"

"He… He played me for a fool and used me to get what he needed for his Dark Lord: support and money of House Black. I was never just Narcissa to him and he used me, both my status and my body, to get what he wanted." Narcissa stated with bitterness in her voice. "And as for _Draco_… He may be my son now, but I was not the one who birthed him to Lucius. I was never able to give him an heir, so he decided to make one without my knowledge, and then made me his mother." Aries understood what Narcissa meant by her words.

"Do you know who the real mother is?" Aries asked of her.

"Only that she is dead and that she was either a Crabbe or Goyle, since he doesn't trust any other pureblooded family not to talk about his escapades." Narcissa told to Aries, who nodded to her.

"Even so, you do realize that if you leave Lucius with now your son, there won't be a place for you here in England?" Aries asked of Narcissa. "You will become a social pariah, and none would open their doors to you here. Moreover, Lucius wouldn't just let you leave that easily, not with you being aware of all that he did and possibly more than even he thinks. He'll likely kill you first than let you leave him and risk being threatened by you."

"I am well aware of that, because of that, I ask you, as a sister, to grant me shelter from him." Narcissa's tone was not one of pride or arrogance, but of pleading and begging. "Aries, please, I beg of you. I know that what I said and did can't be easily forgotten or forgiven, but I can't just go on like this. I can't just keep pretending to be the little perfect wife for Lucius and play mommy for his bastard. I'm ready to give anything I have to you or your son. I'm prepared to even marry him in the future, just to get away from Lucius. Aries, please…" Narcissa was starting to rabble, until Aries stopped her.

"Narcissa, calm down, and drink this" She secretly poured calming draught into her tea and gave it to Narcissa, who drank it. "I doubt that my son will be all that interested in continuing with you the tradition of House Black, so stop trying to offer yourself to him."

"Why, am I too old for your little boy, or not good enough for him?" Narcissa asked with a snide, draught taking effect on her.

"No, I just want my son to choose his love out of those that are close to him, and not because of some arranged proposition. That, and do remember that you are 22 years his senior and his aunt." Aries reminded her.

"We witches age like fine wine, and Black witches especially. And wouldn't you be comfortable with your son being with someone you know and can trust, as well as someone you know can handle him?" Narcissa asked in a slightly playful manner.

"That would mean that I trust you completely, which I don't." Aries admitted to her, before rising up from her seat, surprising Narcissa. "But I will speak with Mordred about it. As Lord Black it will be his decision to make, and only his. However, if this is some kind of plot by your husband or you, then I can assure that I will forget that we are sisters and make you regret ever thinking about scheming against me and him." Aries told her before making her leave.

"Aries… Thank you." Was all that Aries heard from her youngest sister, before leaving the building.

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait, but I had to take a break for a week due to health problem I experienced last week right after I've finished The Dark Prince Rises. Nothing to worry about now, though I have to now follow a much stricter diet than I am used to and forget about certain unhealthy pleasures of the world, at least for a while, but better that way.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I've made things clear for regarding Mana Burst. Now as for Galahad, he really is the very same Knight of the Round Table and has been around since the times of Merlin and King Arthur. He is a Pendragon, made the same way as our Mordred, and he has Mana Burst. Along with that that, he is also the only Wizard that has access to Isle of Avalon and all the treasures that are in there, including The Holy Grail, a literal Holy relic. The reason he hides his identity is because he needs at times to operate in the outside world, and because of that he needs to use a disguise. Along with that, the less people know about him being alive, the better, and so far, only Arthur is aware who Agravain truly is.  
**

**Oh, and yes, I do mean Holy and not magical. I plan to incorporate the elements of religion into it with the power of God also included in it. As for Galahad's looks, he shares his looks with Iwatani Naofumi, better known as Shield Hero.**

**Now, in one of the guest reviews, I have been pointed out that because of my frivolous usage of X-Overs, especially one with DxD content, I may be reported to Critics United. I would like to know in just how much trouble am I if I get on their bad side and should I be worried. Please PM or leave a review on the matter.**

**And along with that, review, comment, suggest your opinion about the story and characters. I do appreciate your opinion and it helps me get better.**

**Next time: Decision regarding Narcissa; Consequences and Timeskip.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Château de Pendragon. Two hours after the meeting.**

It has been some time since Aries had returned from her meeting with Narcissa. She didn't waste time in gathering her family for a discussion in Lord Pendragon's study to reach the decision, regarding Narcissa's plea and what she told Aries. Along with Arthur, Aries, Gawain, Morgan and Mordred, there were also Juno, who was asked here by Mordred, along with Raynare, his personal maid, Grayfia, as Lord Pendragon's personal maid, and Sona Sitri, the librarian, keeper of the knowledge and tutor of Pendragons.

While Grayfia may be in command of all maids and footmen in the household of this family, Sona is one of the few people whom she didn't have full command over and who only responded on the commands of Lord or Lady Pendragon directly. That is because she wasn't a part of service staff like all the other Nephilims, but she did serve as a librarian and a tutor to House Pendragon and its inhabitants and children. Her job was in keeping the enormous library of House Pendragon organized, documented and sorted in the right order, as well as to expand it and preserve all the knowledge and information that comes to House Pendragon.

It was no overstatement to say that Sona was putting a titanic effort in having the library, which could rival in size and surpassed in contents it's Hogwarts's counterpart, in a pristine and orderly fashion, not to mention keeping all the records of every deal, marriage, divorce and so forth made by House Pendragon. Along with that, she was also a primary tutor to all children of Pendragons and she was responsible for teaching them to write, read, various scientific disciplines and so forth.

And she was very good at it, despite being a relatively young Nephilim girl of age just 91 years old. While she was young, she was also meticulous, organized, disciplined, with the sharpest of minds known and more knowledge packed in her bright head then some entire libraries could boast of. Unlike Grayfia and Raynare, she was of lower height then two and less pronounced slim figure, with short black hair made into a bob cut coupled with her violet eyes and glasses which she wore. She was dressed in a more casual style then the service staff, but still had a formal look to her. She was also asked here by Mordred, who felt himself a bit pressured by what Narcissa wished of him as Lord Black, and he wanted her advice on the matter, as she was generally the most knowledgeable person on practically all subjects, ranging from academics to traditions and history of the Houses.

While Mordred sat in the chair, flanked by Sona and Raynare and with Juno near him, Aries and Arthur were discussing this whole situation and what Narcissa had told them. Arthur, who was skeptical about the whole idea of Aries meeting her, now was firmly against having Narcissa in his house or anywhere near his son.

"I won't have her here or anywhere near our children, Aries, and I do not believe a word of what she said." Arthur told Aries firmly, with her showing the disapproval for his decision. "I know that you want to believe her and that you want Mordred to help her, but this whole idea of Draco not being her son… I don't know, this doesn't sound right."

"Of course it doesn't sound right to you." Aries said in a bit more passionate tone to her husband. "You never were very trusting of the people you do not like, much like James, but I am telling you, that my sister wasn't lying to me. I've showed you the memory and you saw how desperate she was to get away from Lucius."

"Unlike James, I can handle myself and I can trust people that I don't like, if they are the right sort. However, your sister is not the right sort of people." Arthur told her. "Call me prejudiced, a bigot or a hypocrite if you will, Aries, but this whole thing seems to me like another one of schemes that Malfoys are known for pulling off. And your sister has a track record of engaging in quite questionable activities while she was in Hogwarts, as I am certain you remember."

"She may very well be desperate and sorry for what she had done. If she wants to get away from Lucius, she would be careless to try to fool us. I think that she really is trying to simply get away from him." Gawain spoke up. "Maybe we should really help her and have Mordred annul her marriage to him. And if you don't want to see her near us, Papa, we could just stay in England or in one of our houses in France or somewhere in Europe."

"Like she would even think about staying somewhere far away from us and Mordred, especially with him being Lord Black." Morgan scoffed at the idea. "Sorry, Mom, but I'm with dad on this one. I'm thinking she just wants to get close to Mordred and take him under her control for some bad thing. Plus the way she spoke of him… I dunno, but it kinda freaked me out and also didn't make me feel right about her."

"I fear that Lord Arthur and Lady Morgana's concerns are far more valid, Lady Pendragon. House Malfoy, be it the English branch or the extinguished French line, has always been known for its schemes and plotting, as well as utilizing every available method or way to obtain more power and wealth." Grayfia spoke up. "Manipulation of others has always been their forte and they were never above using spouses and their children to gain what they want. I have been a witness to multiple times when Malfoys had even made themselves look bad in the eyes of the public and others, just to later profit from it. Exposing young Lord Mordred to your sister, I believe, is exactly what Lord Malfoy wishes to happen."

"My sister may have her flaws, but going against family is not one of them and she has never done so agaisnt me." Aries told them. "She didn't even take the dark mark and remained well out of Voldemort's cohorts and inner circle."

"I knew plenty of people who weren't Death Eaters, but they were just as loyal and involved as his direct minions. Like Arcturus and Orion with Walburga, for an example." Arthur reminded to Aries of her own family. "Aries, she may've been loyal to you and your family, but that was in the past and you haven't seen Narcissa in years. You and I have fought against her husband and her sister, and we firmly stood agaisnt what Lucius, Bellatrix and Voldemort wanted to achieve. I doubt that she still holds you as dear as you hold her. And along with that, I doubt that she even considers Mordred to be her real relation."

"Mordred is as much our brother as he is her nephew. She must know of it, mustn't she?" Gawain asked of him.

"He is, but to her, he was just adopted, just as she claims her son to be an adopted bastard of her husband." Morgan spoke passionately. "And this whole thing sounds really bullocks. I mean, you can't just force someone to make that Ritual, right, or am I missing something? Sona, you are the expert on these kinds of things, so what can you tell us about it?" Morgan asked of House Pendragon's librarian.

"Ritual of Blood Acceptance is an ancient, yet a relatively well-known ritual. There are several very important things to be done before the ritual may even commence, such as finding the right 6 witnesses, a person to command the ritual and special artifacts to utilize in the ritual. The artifacts could be acquired with relative ease, but finding the witnesses and one to command the ritual is not an easy task." Sona spoke up in an academic tone. "They would have to come to the ritual and participate in it out of their own free will, as any form of coercion would render Ritual impossible to complete, and that includes spells like _Imperio_ or _Confundus_. Along with that, the adopting parents must also accept the child out of their free will and with a desire to do so. Failing in that regard would also render the Ritual incomplete and impossible to finish."

"Even if so, she could've still come to see the error of her ways and…" Aries wasn't fully convinced yet.

"Aries, you are starting to sound like Dumbledore here." Arthur pointed out to her, making Aries shut up for a second. "I know that you still care for your little sister and want her safe, but I doubt…"

While his family was arguing about what to do, Mordred listened to them and also thought to himself about what should_ he _do in this situation. As much as he may've wanted to have nothing to do with House Black and the position he was in, he couldn't leave it be and unresolved as it was. He needed to do something, and he knew that because of his decision, there could be a division in the family between his mother and father. And that was something that he really didn't want to happen to his family, as he loved them both dearly and very much, but he also knew that both of them had a good a point to what they were saying.

Feeling the pressure of making the decision weighing on him and not wanting to see his Mama and Papa arguing and getting to fighting, Mordred turned to Juno and spoke up for the first time since this discussion had begun.

"Um, Juno?" Head of House Medici, as well as Raynare and Sona, turned her head to her godson. "Can't Narcissa just divorce her husband and why does she need the help of me as Lord Black?"

"Divorce and marriage are not as simple matters as they may be in non-magical world, Mordred, especially when it concerns magical families. In this case, Narcissa can't simply divorce him, as the marriage was made not just by her and Lucius, but also by Arcturus Black and Abraxas Malfoy, Lords Black and Malfoy." Juno spoke up to Mordred. "Such marriage contract can only be ended by one of the Lords, and because of that Narcissa wants you to end it for her."

"Do you think that I should do it? Divorce her and let her come here?" Mordred asked of her.

"Oh, my darling… You shouldn't even concern yourself with such questions. You should be out playing and having fun, not doing a grown-ups job…" Juno shook her head at the situation her godson was in. "To be quite honest, I can't tell you what to do and how to do it, as such a decision is entirely up to you. You can listen to the advices and what your parents tell you, but as a Lord, this is a decision you must make on your own, regardless what others want from you. It is a duty of the Lord and Head of the House, to make decisions that decide the fate of his House and steer to whatever direction he wants it to go. To be a Lord, is to always make these decisions, Mordred. I can't tell you what you should do, but if you wish to hear an advice from me, then here is what I would recommend: learn the motives of Narcissa and what she _really _wants, and only then make the decision. Do you understand what I mean?"

"You mean, she didn't tell Mama the whole truth or lied to her?" Mordred asked of Juno.

"That I do not know, but if I were in your place, my dear, I would first make sure she wasn't lying." Juno told him, before returning to watching the conversation between Arthur and Aries.

"Mama, Papa." Mordred suddenly spoke up in a louder tone then before, drawing attention to him. "I have to make the decision about Narcissa, as Lord Black, right?"

"Mordred, I know that you want to do things right, as you think, but this isn't as simple as you think." Arthur told him, but before he could continue his youngest son spoke up again.

"But I can't just make, not if I know that it's going to be the right one. And I don't know if aunt Narcissa was lying or not, and if she doesn't have some evil plan in her head." Mordred stated to both of them, with Aries and Arthur both understanding that their son was right. "If I did decide so, it would be foolish of me, right?"

"Huh, he is right." Morgan said in a surprising tone, as she realized that all they were doing was simply guessing things so far. "We don't know a thing about what she plans."

"Even if so, it's not like we can just trust her and accept her here." Arthur noted out. "And there isn't any trustworthy way to know if she is lying or not."

"Can't I just demand for her to tell me what she wants, as Lord Black?" Mordred suddenly asked, before turning to Sona. "Sona, as a Lord, I can command others to do what I want, right?"

"Technically, you do have such authority over those that are a part of House Black, true." Sona confirmed. "However, if you gave the order to Narcissa to tell her what you want to hear, she could simply lie to you and tell you what she wants you to know."

"But there are ways to make her tell the truth and only that, right? Without her noticing or doing anything about it?" Mordred asked of her, with his parents realizing what he was up to.

"There are such ways, yes. Methods that involve her not noticing such a thing being implemented are beyond your reach, but those that could force her to reveal the truth without her resisting it are at your current disposal." Sona said to him. "As Lord Black, you can order her to not lie to you and reveal the truth to you, compelling her by the power of House Black and the blood you share. All Heads of Houses possess such ability, and you are no exception. The family magic of House Black would force her to do your bidding, but you would also need to be in a place of the greatest concentration of House Black's family magic."

"So I would need to meet her in person and in the place where House Black's magic is at its strongest. Mama, do you know where best set up such meeting if I wanted to learn the truth?" Mordred asked of her.

"House at Grimmauld Place 12 would be the ideal spot, but you are won't be meeting her alone and that is for certain, Mordred." Aries told him, glancing at her husband, who nodded in agreement. "We will be with you there."

"Mom, I know that I shouldn't but… I feel that I should do this on my own." Mordred surprised them both. "I am Lord Black, and as Juno said, there are things that Lords must do for the good of their House without others telling them what they want him to do. I know that you don't want me to do it alone, but I feel that I must do it."

"Mordred, you are just a 7 year old boy, and that means that you can't just make such decisions on your own, even if you are Lord Black." Arthur told him. "You are still a child, and not ready to…"

"No, I'm not and I don't want it, but I must do it. Did you want to be Head of House and make these decisions, Papa?" Mordred suddenly asked of him, with Arthur looking at him with shock and not uttering a word. "But when all others were gone, you had to make decisions like that. Difficult and without others telling you want is right and wrong, because only you can decide it with your House. And even if I am 7 years old, I am not a child and I know it. No child had to go through what I did, just as you've told me." They all understood what he referred to.

"I… You are right, son." Arthur admitted to Mordred and everyone. "Your mother and I… We want you to have a normal life, to be happy and healthy, to grow up in a way that doesn't force you to make decisions like these. But it seems we can't just have it our way. I don't approve of it, but I understand where you are coming from."

"Yes, I do so too… But that doesn't mean we will just let you go to England and meet her without us being there." Aries suddenly spoke again. "You want to meet her on your own, without us interfering and telling you what to do, am I correct? Well, if that is the case, we won't interfere, and even more so, we won't even be seen by her." Aries smiled a little, with Mordred not understanding.

"What do you mean by that, Mom?" He asked of her, not fully getting what she meant.

"She means that your parents will be there with you, protecting you, but not interfering in the talks, giving Narcissa an illusion of security and making her careless, as she will think that she'll be dealing with just you, Mordred." Juno interpreted what Aries meant, with white haired witch nodding to her. "Quite clever of you, Aries, but I highly doubt that she'll fall into such a trap if she just sees Mordred there. Someone will have to be there with him out in the view, to show Narcissa that this isn't a trap."

"As your personal Maid, Lord Mordred, I shall accompany you on this meeting, as it is my duty." Raynare spoke up.

"I wish to volunteer to accompany Lord Mordred and ensure his safety." Grayfia stepped in, with Arthur allowing it.

"Can Sona also come as well?" Mordred suddenly asked of them, with Sona raising a brow to that one. "I still don't know much about being a Lord, and I don't want to make a mistake or something like that. Could you help me with that?"

"If Lord and Lady Pendragon will allow it." They nodded to her. "Very well, but before that, I shall have to instruct you on the proper behavior on such a meeting, as well as the etiquette and a way to carry yourself." Sona was already making a plan of what her pupil will need to learn first.

* * *

**August 21****st****. Grimmauld Place 12.**

The hidden house that belonged to Black family had been once again put to use by Pendragons and Mordred, without the knowledge of British Ministry and Order of Phoenix. Arthur and Aries had taken precautions to make sure that their presence in England and London remains undiscovered by anyone. The last thing they wanted was to have Dumbledore, Potters and their new Minister of Magic to be hounding them. And their new Minister, some geezer named Cornelius Fudge, would probably try to make himself look like Mordred's best friend, if what Arthur had heard of that incompetent fool was to be trusted. According to Francis and Eduard, the man would've never gotten the job, had Bagnold and Crouch weren't forced out of the office, and, according to Francis, Fudge gave of the impression of a man that lives up to his last name. Recalling his English vocabulary, Arthur had guessed that the man was a moron and that he was most likely going to be a toy in the hands of Dumbledore or anyone who wished to gain power.

Turning away from the politics of Great Britain, Grimmauld Place's house had definitely seen better days and should've undergone a capital repair effort, but neither Mordred nor Aries wished for it, as they had no desire to be in England for a prolonged time. The place was simply going to serve their purposes and that is all, so once they've arrived here, accompanied by Raynare, Grayfia and Sona.

Mordred, along with Raynare and Sona were in the study of Lord Black, a far gloomier, darker and far less welcoming version of Arthur's place. Grayfia had left them for the entrance, to wait for Narcissa, as well as to remove the portrait of a screaming Walburga Black. She may've not been able to take the portrait away from the wall, but nothing said she couldn't cut it out from the frame and burn it away, which she did. When the half crazed house elf had come screaming at her to stop, she simply stunned him and put him into the cupboard. As for Arthur and Aries, they were in the room with Mordred and Nephilims, prepared to hide themselves via invisibility cloaks, owned by House Pendragon.

All the while they were here, Mordred couldn't help but feel completely uneasy and tense, as well as restricting himself from shuddering. He didn't know why, but this entire place was giving him the creeps and sent shivers down his spine, and that wasn't because of the interior of the house. He could almost physically feel like the house, or what he thought was House Black's magic, was drawn to him, trying to latch onto him as it were a parasite. He sensed it's dark ethereal tendrils making their way to him, slowly enveloping him in the malevolent embrace and accepting him, while Mordred couldn't do a thing about it all.

While they waited, Arthur looked around and spoke up.

"Dear God, all this gloom and darkness… It's like Arcturus and Orion didn't like to have sun come in here, or anywhere in this house. Was it always like this, or did this place just get this gloomy and depressing because none had cared for it?" Arthur asked of Aries, who answered.

"My House had always had a certain unhealthy fascination with more dark themes in the world. I personally never really like this atmosphere and to this day find it unsettling. And yes, it was always depressing, but not to this point." Aries told Arthur, before looking towards her son. "Mordred, is everything alright? You have been rather quiet." She looked at him, seeing clearly that he felt unsettled with the place.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Mama. Just want to get this over with and be out of here." Mordred said to her, getting out a sigh. "I don't like the place. It just feels… Feels wrong and twisted. It feels almost like… Almost alive and dark… Maybe I should ask Aunt Juno if she would be willing to also buy it, because I don't want to own it."

"You are sensing the energy of House Black, its family magic, son." Arthur told him. "It's trying to connect with you and draws to you, as it knows who Lord Black is. And as for the malice and darkness you are sensing… It's what House Black had degraded into under the past leadership. Magic reflects the actions and personality of the Lords that commanded it, and I doubt there were many Blacks with a genuinely positive and kind look on life. Aside from your mother and Andromeda, I can't think of anyone else."

"There were a few like us over history, but those members were often either exiled, or worse, killed." Aries told them all. "These actions have also reflected upon our House's magic, corrupting it and twisting it into what you feel now, Mordred. Treachery of one's blood is a crime that taints not just the image of a family, but also the very magic of the family. Though none would ever dare to call House Black blood traitors, like they would call Weasleys, but my House had executed many of its members, just because they were different from most Blacks. Such things do not go unpunished, and so the magic punished us with a great number of Mageborns and madness…"

"And I am now Lord of such a House… Is… Is there any way to clean the House of Black's magic up?" Mordred asked of them, with Sona speaking up.

"With the degree of corruption and taint upon the magic of House Black, the only possible way for this magic to be cleansed and purified would be to put an end to House Black and restart it as a new House." Sona spoke up, confusing Mordred.

"How can one end a House and then restart it?" He asked curious, with Sona clarifying.

"As Lord Black, you hold the right to end House Black, effectively eliminating it from the existence and rendering all of the wizards and witches connected to it disconnected from the magic and bloodline of an effectively dead House." Sona explained. "In doing so, you would completely cleanse the family magic, and would be able to start the House anew, making you a de-facto founder of the new House. Such practice is rare, but not unheard of, with several Lords doing so due to various reasons. They would often even change the name of the House, in an effort to show their determination to start things anew."

"Or you could use this opportunity to create a Branch House of Pendragons, using the cleansed magic and connecting it to the main pool of Pendragon family, from which draw power main and Branch lines." Sona continued, with Mordred looking quite interested in that one. "Though the process of ending a House is easy, same can't be said about restarting it, as it is an arduous process. Creation of a Branch line on the other hand is far simpler matter and given all the circumstances, is also a more logical and productive thing to do. If you are interested, I shall explain it further in depth, but after we've left this place."

"Can you really do this, Arthur?" Aries asked of her husband, who nodded to her confidently.

"All Heads of House Pendragon know how to create a Branch family, and if our son wishes, I won't object to him starting up his own House." Arthur admitted to Aries, with Mordred smiling at little, before they've heard a soft knocking on the door.

"Lord Mordred, Lady Narcissa is here to see you. Shall I send her in?" Grayfia's calm and professional voice spoke, forcing Mordred's parents to cloak themselves, while Raynare and Sona took position near him, as he sat in the chair.

"Send her in." Mordred said calmly and with as much confidence as he could, while Sona and Raynare nodded to him reassuringly.

The door into the study opened up, with Grayfia stepping inside and letting Narcissa in. The woman that looked a lot like Mordred's mother exuded an aura of pride and elegance, but also coldness that was absent in Aries' eyes. Narcissa may've bore a resemblance to Aries, but when comparing the two, Mordred found Narcissa looking like a paler and poorly made copy of his mother. Despite the rich and elegant robes she wore and jewelry upon her form, she didn't have Aries' natural look of nobility and beauty that she exuded.

Mordred and the maids eyed Narcissa carefully and it didn't escape their notice the way she first looked at the boy. It was a degrading look, one that evaporated as fast as it came, but this made both Raynare and Grayfia tense up, as the latter took her place at Sona's right, along with making both Nephilim maids stand ready. Narcissa, after her small slip up, immediately put up a sweet smile and bowed before him, while Mordred greeted her with a nod of his head to her. She was the first one to speak up.

"Lord Black, thank you for seeing me so soon after I've reached out to you." Narcissa said to him in a polite and sweet tone. "I am glad that we've had the opportunity to finally meet, Lord Black. After all, it is very important for a Lord, no matter how young, to know his House and its members, and for its members to know the Lord of their House."

"Please do not address me as Lord Black, Lady Narcissa." Mordred spoke to her with an official tone, or a child's closest version of it, surprising Lady Malfoy. "I have not asked for this title or for this House, and I do not like to be addressed as Lord Black."

"Very well, then shall I address you as nephew?" She asked with a sweetened voice. "Given the fact of you being a son of my beloved sister, it would only be appropriate for us to be informal, as aunt and nephew."

"You shall address him as Lord Mordred, Lady Narcissa, as is dictated by the etiquette." Raynare spoke up with a stern look and voice to Narcissa, making her glare at the Nephilim maid.

"Be quiet, servant. I am speaking with your master, half-breed." Narcissa almost spitted out of her mouth.

"Lady Narcissa, any more insult towards my personal maid or anyone in this room, then we will have nothing to talk about and you will leave." Mordred stated to her with a cold tone of voice, surprising the witch. "I may be currently in their care, but this is my house and if you do respect them, I shall force you out of here."

"As you wish, Lord Mordred. May I sit?" Mordred motioned to the sofa at his left, which Narcissa occupied by sitting upon it. "I must say that I am quite surprised to see you here alone, discounting your servants. Does Aries know that you are here, meeting with me?"

"My Mama and Papa are aware, and though they don't like me being here and with you, they agreed for me to come here with my maid and father's maid, as well as my tutor." Mordred answered to Narcissa.

"Ah, so you do address them as your parents. How curious, given the fact who your real parents are and how they want you back. Even with the Ritual done, surely you must feel some form of connection with them, don't you?" Narcissa asked of him, trying to get a read of Mordred, but failed, thanks to Galahad's training of the young boy.

"The only things I feel about the Potters are hatred and anger for what they had done to me, and they are not my parents. They simply made me, while Mama and Papa are the ones who look after and love me." Mordred said with a strain from anger in his voice, making Narcissa flinch a little at how mature this child was. "I know that I am too young to speak about it, but I've been through enough to have grown up. Now, why did you ask for this meeting?" Mordred suddenly asked of her.

"Aren't you being a bit too hasty, my dear?" Narcissa asked of him with a bit of playfulness, so as to ease the tension. "We barely even began to talk with each other and you already…"

"Have you come here to talk about something important, or just to waste my time?" Mordred suddenly asked of her, with Narcissa shutting up and giving him an insulted look. "I don't like it here, and the only reason I came is because you wanted to discuss something important about House Black. Either talk about it, Lady Narcissa, or leave." Narcissa had wanted to say something offensive, but stopped and sighed.

"Very well, Lord Mordred. I can see that I have misjudged you, and I apologize for it." Narcissa gathered her thoughts and courage, before speaking up. "I believe you are aware of the fact that I am Lady Malfoy, being married to current Lord Malfoy, aren't you?"

"Yes, I know of it, and that it was a contract between my predecessor and Lord Malfoy's father." Mordred surprised Narcissa again.

"You know about the marriage contracts between Houses?" She asked of him.

"My tutor had explained it to me in great detail and I understand what it is and what I can do about it." Mordred stated to Narcissa. "My mother told me that you wanted me to annul your marriage to Lord Malfoy, because of him mistreating you and forcing you to accept his son as your own. Am I correct?"

"Yes, that is the basis of it." Narcissa nodded to him. "Lord Malfoy has been greatly abusing me and my trust, as well as using me as a tool for his own devises and pleasures. Releasing me from him would be a good thing to do, and would undoubtedly be for the good of House Black and you personally." Mordred seemed to think about it for a second, before he turned to Sona and spoke up.

"Sona, can Head of the House annul a marriage just because he wishes, or does he need a reason to do so?" He asked of her, with Sona answering.

"Annulment of a marriage is one of the duties of Head of the House, but only in the event of sufficient proof being provided in favor of such action being taken. Dissolving a marriage contract without a sufficiently good reason would lead to House Black being forced to pay compensations to House Malfoy, and may very well lead to a feud between the two Houses and many negative consequences." Sona explained to Mordred, who nodded to her.

"Do you have the proof needed for the divorce?" He asked of her.

"You have my word, what more could you ask for?" Narcissa asked in a bit of an insulted manner.

"Memories, confirmation via Veritaserum, magical oath or something along those lines." Grayfia spoke up, surprising Narcissa and getting the attention of Mordred. "Lord Mordred, may I suggest something that may provide you with the proof needed?"

"Go ahead." Just as Mordred said it, Narcissa immediately tensed up and tried to secretly reach out to her wand, which didn't go unnoticed by Raynare, Grayfia and Mordred's parents.

"As Lord of House Black, you can call upon the family magic of the House to force Lady Narcissa to tell the truth to you. This way, she will not be able to lie to you in any way or capacity and you can be absolutely certain in the validity of her claims." Grayfia stated, as planned before, noticing that Narcissa already reached for her wand.

"Milord Mordred, such a drastic solution is most certainly unnecessary." Narcissa tried to stop him. "I am willing to be later subjected to Veritaserum, but only after…"

"If your claims are true, then why should you worry?" Mordred suddenly asked of her. "Lady Narcissa, I call upon…" However, Mordred wasn't able to finish what he was saying.

Just when Mordred had begun to say the words, Narcissa's face became enraged, as she reached out for her wand and took it out, prepared to fire a spell at Mordred. She wasn't fast enough and didn't think much of Nephilims, believing much like most of British wizards and witches that they were just creatures craving for pleasures and good to fool around with. They viewed them, much like most of the magical creatures, to be beneath them, and because of that she didn't account for Sona, Raynare and Grayfia being obstacles.

Raynare and Sona acted by pushing Mordred's chair behind her and erecting a protective shield around them. Grayfia's actions were far more aggressive, as she moved with great speed and caught Narcissa's wand, disarming her via breaking the wand and pushing her off the seat and onto the knees. A single silent spell, and the woman was bound by her legs and arms, unable to move and with three Nephilims watching her every move and ready to strike her. The next moment, Aries and Arthur revealed themselves, taking their place near their son. Narcissa looked in shock at her older sister, before speaking up.

"You've set me up! This is a trap!" She practically screeched. "Let me go, or I swear I…"

"You'll do nothing until we decide to let you go, Narcissa." Arthur stated her, with his wand out and ready at her. "So you better to start talking, if you wish to get out of the binds."

"Or what, you and my dear sister here will torture me?" Narcissa sarcastically asked of them. "Please, you two are as soft-hearted as you are insufferable. You don't have it in you to actually use _Criciatus_ curse, unlike our dear imprisoned Bella."

"There are other methods, far more effective than torture, to get to the bottom of it all." Aries stated to Narcissa, before turning to Mordred, who stood up from his seat. "Mordred, do what you wanted to do." Mordred nodded to her, before turning to Narcissa.

"Lady Narcissa, I call upon the magic of House Black and command you to tell me only truth and not withhold anything that I or my parents wish to know." Narcissa winced at the magic taking effect on her. "Did you tell truth to me and Mama about Draco and Lord Malfoy?"

"No, I did not. Draco is my son, born and conceived by Lucius." Narcissa admitted to them, with Aries narrowing her eyes at her. "Lucius loves me dearly and would never do anything to harm me in any way or form, and the last thing I want is to divorce and lose him and Draco."

"Then why did you do all this? Is this one of Lucius' schemes?" Aries asked of her sister.

"I lied because that was the only way for Lucius not to be convicted and prosecuted for what he had done." Narcissa told them, surprising them all. "Dumbledore and Sirius had come to us and gave us an ultimatum: cooperated with them and Order, or go to Azkaban as Death Eaters. Lucius and I agreed."

"What bloody purpose did Dumbledore and Sirius wanted to achieve with this? What was your plan?" Now Arthur asked of her.

"They wished to get the assets of House Black under their control, as well as to get closer to Mordred and turn him on you two." Narcissa stated to them. "My plan was to earn your trust and Mordred's trust, as well as to make myself important to him, either as an aunt or as a future lover. Once he was under my control, I would turn him agaisnt you and Aries, and make him more malleable for Dumbledore to use, while I was in full control of House Black and its fortunes."

"What do those two want with our son? Why is he so important to Dumbledore and why does Sirius even care to be a part of this scheme?" Aries asked of her.

"I do not know why Dumbledore wants your son. Sirius wants to be Lord Black and have the fortunes and name back in his hands, as he blames Mordred for steeling it all away from him and wants to make him suffer for taking what he believes is his." Narcissa stated to them. "That, and he also wants to give the boy back to his best friends, the Potters, because that way, House Potter will be stronger because of two wizard children and more chances to increase their power via the children." Aries and Arthur exchanged looks, before Arthur nodded to Mordred.

"That's enough." Mordred allowed Narcissa to stop, letting the family magic get away from Narcissa. "You would lie about your son and husband to my Mama, just so you could get to control me? Why not simply ask us for help?"

"If it means that I and Lucius will be free and Draco will have is family, I will go as far as to become a whore for a half-blooded brat that was taken in out of mercy and pity." Narcissa snarled at him. "And ask for help from my dear kindhearted sister? I wouldn't lower myself to such a thing, to ask for help from a sister, whose husband had nearly made our son fatherless on multiple times, and who dared to turn her back on our traditions and ways, forgetting what being a true Black witch really means."

"You've already lowered yourself to the point of no return, Narcissa." Aries told her with a scowl.

"What, wouldn't you do the same thing if you were in my place? You may pose as all noble and proud, but in reality you are just a soft-hearted weakling that wasn't able to handle the reality of our life and decided to get out by dividing your legs before the best possible…" Narcissa wasn't able to finish her sentence, as she was slapped hard across the face.

"Don't. Insult. My. Mother." Mordred said with steel in his voice, his right hand glowing slightly with red energy, while his parents looked surprised, while maids approved of the action. "You, Dumbledore, Potters, Sirius- you all just want to use me and House Black for your own purposes. Well you can go back to them and tell them all, that I am dead to them, and House Black is dead too."

"You damn brat, don't you dare to…" Narcissa was practically screaming at him, before Grayfia stopped her with a spell.

"I, Mordred Pendragon, by my right as Lord Black, end House Black and it's family for good, and may magic be witness to it." Mordred stated with full intent.

The moment he did, all the darkness and malice that was in the air evaporated, leaving the empty husk of a house. Mordred was finally able to breath with ease and he did just that, while the house around them seemingly aged so much that it looked like it was going to come down sooner or later. The furniture and books took their actual look, unaided by magic that kept them from being destroyed, which showed old and crumbling objects that were mere touches away from being destroyed. House Black was no more, with its magic now focused on Mordred, cleansed, clean and inactive, waiting for its master to once more call upon it.

Aries and her husband took a look around, seeing the disastrous effect the magic of House Black had on the house, as it had poisoned the very place it was focused in. The things and the house were kept in a presentable look because of the magic, but, just like it was rotten and corrupted, it rotted and destroyed what it protected. And now it was laid to bear for all, with Aries looking with a small amount of sadness, but also relief that it was done. Narcissa, on the other hand, was utterly furious.

"You damned half-breed, what in Merlin's name have you done?! You dissolved my House, you son of a…" Narcissa wasn't allowed to speak, as Grayfia and Raynare both silenced her.

"Get her out of here." Aries commanded them, with both maids obeying the order, and leading Narcissa out of here.

"Mom, are you okay?" Mordred asked of her, getting her attention. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. I just… I didn't want them to…" Instead of listening for his explanation, Aries pulled her son in a hug, kissing his head.

"Thank you, my dear. You didn't hurt me, and you did the right thing. I am proud of you." She said to him with a small smile. "I didn't think that she would be capable of such… Let's… Let's just go home. I want to leave this place for good."

"Agreed, let's get out of here." Arthur agreed, with Sona heading first through the door, letting the family go after her.

Just as they were reaching the kitchen and the fireplace in there, a crack of apparition was heard. All four of them looked behind them to see what was it, and the moment they did, Mordred was tackled to the floor with a mad scream. He was attacked by a small creature, covered in blisters, cuts, burns and all sorts of sickening sight, while howling like a mad dog. He forced something on Mordred's neck, before both Arthur and Aries knocked the creature away from their son with their magic. Once it was off of him, they took a closer look and realized that this half-dead and seemingly decomposing beast was Kreacher, who screamed bloody murder at them, before Aries knocked him out for good.

But once she did so, her worries turned to Mordred, as she and Arthur watched how their son was convulsing on the floor, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Without a second thought they've rushed to him, trying to wake him up, crying out and trying to make him stop, while Sona examined him more closely. While they all did so, they heard a menacing and horrifyingly familiar voice, coming from Mordred.

**_"You are mine now." _**A hiss like voice sounded throughout the house, freezing both Arthur and Aries in place. **_"Your body, your magic, your blood-all of it belongs to Voldemort. Do not resist me, boy! I shall have you!" _**It became instantly clear that their son was being possessed by an old foe they hoped was dead.

"Mordred! Mordred, please stay with us! Just hold on, we'll…" Aries was panicking, until Sona suddenly shoved her aside and went to Mordred.

Without wasting any time, she reached for his clothes, and dove her head underneath his shirt. Once she got what she sought, she returned it back with a small pendant in her hand. The next second, she tossed away from Mordred and onto the floor. The moment she took away the pendant from Mordred, his body had stopped convulsing and he simply laid there unmoving. Arthur and Aries looked at him with greatest of worries in their eyes, before Sona spoke up.

"The possession had failed, he shall be fine." She said to them, as she went to pick up the thing that caused all of this, examining it. "This pendant… It has the insignia and symbols of House Slytherin upon it… And a piece of Voldemort's soul stuck in it. The elf must've tried to use to kill Mordred, for destroying House Black, but the question is where he could've gotten it?"

That was the question that the Pendragons were going to investigate later on. When Raynare and Grayfia had returned, Arthur ordered them to take Kreacher with them and by using whatever means necessary, get him to talk about where and how he got the pendant. The moment the two learned of what he had done with Mordred, it was clear that the dying creature wouldn't see the daylight ever again, and that his dying moments will be filled with agony. Sona took the pendant to properly examine it and determine what it was exactly, while Arthur picked up his son and with his wife had finally left the Grimmauld Place.

The moment there were no souls inside, the house's walls and structure had finally given in. The massive construction that was Grimmauld Place 12 collapsed and fell down onto the streets and road, much to the shock of non-magical population. The Ministry of Magic now had a herculean task ahead of them, cleaning everything up and trying to cover up the entire thing, as a great number of simple bystanders and neighbors saw for the first time what once was the great ancestral home of now dead House Black.

* * *

**Sorry for a bit of a delay, had trouble with my new schedule, but it seems to be all worked out so there shouldn't be much of problem. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and sorry if I didn't do the time skip. Now onto some things that I believe need to be explained.**

**1\. Black Family Magic. Basically, the family magic is magic that is formed by adding up energies from its members, forming a pool of magical energy that can be used by its members. The energy itself depends on the family itself and its actions, so if family makes sure to stay on generally the good side of things, their magic will be powerful and helpful. But in case of House Black… Inbreeding, killing off weak members and Squibs, plus a ton of other stuff had deeply corrupted magic of this family. It has led them to have far more squibs, madmen and psychos, as magic can affect people on the physical plane without the realization. I don't mean that magic is the cause of all bad stuff that happened with House Black, as it is simply the symptom of the corruption. Had Mordred not destroyed House Black, and yes, you can say goodbye to it, he would've also suffered from the effects of family magic, with his possible kids probably being born with deformities or without magic.**

**Review, comment, suggest, question, I'll answer it all.**

**Next time: Friends once more; Dark discoveries.**


	7. Chapter 7

**August 22****nd****. Chateau de Pendragon. Lord Pendragon's personal study**

The atmosphere in the house was so tense and restless, that one could practically cut the tension with a knife. Everyone in the household felt it, with all of the servants and maids trying not to draw the unneeded attention, as well as not get the ire of either Grayfia or Raynare. The two have been distraught and upset due to what they considered to be their failure in protecting young Mordred, but their distress was nothing when compared to what his parents went through.

Lord and Lady Pendragon, after returning from England with their unconscious son, had spent the entire day and night at his side, not leaving his side for anything of any importance. For an entire day and night, Mordred laid motionless in his bed, without showing practically any signs of life, aside from small breaths he took and his rising chest. Gawain and Morgan both spent hours near their little brother and parents, while Charlotte practically refused to leave Mordred's side, with tears begging him to wake up. It took both of her older siblings, and exhaustion, for Charlotte to leave. Juno, Valerio and Pyrrha paid frequent visits to Mordred, with Juno offering any and all help she could muster to Pendragons, as well as anything that they may require of her. After he was examined by Aries in a proper manner, it was determined that he was physically fine and that he suffered from severe exhaustion, but mentally and spiritually… It was very hard to determine for the parents the amount of damage the accursed pendant had done to their son.

Only sometime before lunch did Mordred wake up, seemingly remembering nothing of what had happened, with the last memory being that of some nightmarish monster tacking him. Arthur and Aries carefully examined his memory with Leggimence and found out that he indeed had no recollection of a failed possession. They took it as a blessing and after they've determined that Mordred was truly well, they've allowed him to go to his siblings and Pyrrha, while also making sure to put him off the studies for a few days.

After that, Aries and Arthur had finally had the time to breathe a sigh of relief and tiredness, as they've not slept the entire night, nor eaten since breakfast yesterday. They've finally had their meal in Arthur's study, served by Grayfia, who was accompanied by Sona. After finishing their meals, Aries and Arthur demanded to know if they've made progress in learning what in the world had happened with their son. As it turned out, they've learned what had happened, and what that pendant really was, and what Lord and Lady Pendragon had found out was enough to send shivers down their spines and make them as pale as death.

The pendant really did once belong to Salazar Slytherin himself, and it now served as a Horcrux to Lord Voldemort's soul, at least a piece of it. Both Aries and Arthur were very well familiar with Horcruxes and knew exactly what they were, aware that it was an extremely dark and powerful artifact, capable of preventing a person from fully dying. Such magic was among the darkest and hardest to perform, with Arthur knowing full well that such vile magic came at the price of death. And from what Grayfia had told them, after her and Raynare's "interrogation" of Kreacher, Voldemort had _more than one _Horcrux.

House of Pendragon had a few members that had dabbled in the Horcruxes, with some succeeding in creating not just one Horcrux, but multiple. Such atrocities and vile sorcery weren't forgiven or accepted by other members of House Pendragon, and so those that had created Horcruxes were executed, their artifacts destroyed and names burned out of history of House Pendragon and its Branch Families. Only Lord Pendragon knows the full story of these traitors to life and magic, and Arthur was no exception from the rule. The shock of finding out that the pendant was a Horcrux quickly evaporated, with both him and Aries now being fully aware of it and knowing the terrible truth: Voldemort was still alive.

They didn't want to believe Dumbledore and the Order, but after the revelation of Horcruxes, they had no alternative but to admit that they were right. Still, even though they did agree now on the fact that Voldemort was alive, that didn't change anything in regards to their current relations. It only meant that Arthur will have to make sure to inform the Heads of Branch Families about it, as well as inform French Minister of Magic and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as well as Department of National Defense, established in the wake of Voldemort's rise to power. If the Dark Lord was really alive, then by all accounts he was still very weak and needed time to recuperate, and that gave them the advantage. Arthur and Aries had considered informing the British Ministry and Dumbledore about their discovery, but in light of what had happened between them, they've decided to let French Minister decide whether or not to inform the Brits about Voldemort.

While Aries, Arthur, Grayfia and Juno were in the study, discussing how to handle the situation with Voldemort, the doors into the study opened up. Inside stepped in Robert Delacour, whom Arthur had called earlier this day and told him in general details what had happened, but along with him was his wife, Apolline. At the sight of her, both Juno and Aries stiffened up and prepared for the things to get ugly. Fortunately, before anyone could throw any curse in anyone's direction, Arthur spoke up.

"Thank you for coming so soon, Robert." Arthur greeted him with a handshake. "I know that what I said may sound preposterous, but believe me: Voldemort really is alive."

"I would've had doubts about the validity of such a claim, had it come from anyone but you, Arthur. But if you are truly sure that he is back, I'll trust your word." Robert assured him. "How is Mordred? Word has it that he had some accident, possibly related to the pendant you mentioned."

"He is fine, remembers nothing of the possession, and that's for the best if you ask me. He, Charlotte and Pyrrha are in the gardens at the moment, under Raynare's supervision, along with several other maids." At the words that Mordred was fine and well, Apolline visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief, which didn't go unnoticed by the present. "Apolline, while I am glad that you've come to visit, I am concerned and wish to know that there won't be a repetition of what happened the last time."

"Arthur, you have my sincerest apologies for my and Fleur's behavior. Aries, Juno, I wish to apologize to both of you of as well, for how I've carried myself the last time I was here. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but when I saw Fleur get hurt… I was simply unable to handle my instincts." Apolline apologized to them. "It is impossible for a Veela to ignore her loved ones being danger and not react with viciousness."

"Or for Veela to see someone she likes being with someone else instead of her." Juno added up, getting the attention of Apolline and reminding of what had happened. "Your daughter is to blame on how Mordred had reacted, and while his reaction was unexpected, it was understandable. Your Fleur had called my daughter names and belittled her. All because Mordred was paying more attention to someone he wanted to know better."

"We are aware of it, Juno, and we've had a profound and long discussion with our daughter on the subject. We've also brought her here with us, as she wanted to see Mordred very badly, and to apologize to him and Pyrrha." Robert told them, with Arthur exchanging glances with Aries and agreeing to this. "I assure you, her intentions are to make up with Mordred and restore the precious friendship she had built with him."

"I most certainly hope so, because I wouldn't want my son to witness another act of betrayal and scheming in just over a day after the first one." Aries sighed, with both Apolline and Robert looking at her with curiosity and a question in mind. "My youngest sister, Narcissa, had tried to manipulate me and Mordred to get close to him and use him. She had partially succeeded by convincing me, but Mordred have managed to make her tell the truth. After all was said and done, he had dissolved House Black for good, ending my accursed family's existence. By the way, Juno, what about the money on Mordred's account and the belongings of House Black that weren't sold out?"

"The money is his and so they weren't affected, while all the assets and belongings that weren't sold off had dissolved or crumbled into dust. All Mordred has left is land, which he'll be deciding what to do with, but I doubt I'll let my godson go and live in England, so it'll be better for all to simply sell it. I've already made some inquiries and found potential buyers." Juno said without missing a beat. "The land can be auctioned off quite quickly, since those are rather nice spots of land. And knowing the mentality of the British nobles, I imagine there will be no shortage of pureblooded buffoons who will want to rub it in to everyone that they own the last remaining legacy of House Black."

"Mordred did say he wanted that house sold and I doubt that he'll miss the other place. Start auctioning them off and put the money on his account in your bank." Aries told Juno, who looked at her with curiosity.

"Aries, dear, the land still belongs to Mordred, so I'll have to have his permission to do so. Even if you are his mother, that's just how things are done in our world." Juno chuckled a little. "Still, I doubt that there will be many of those that will shed a tear about the end of House Black. That House was infamous for its antics and cruelty throughout the ages, even in Italy. Good riddance is all I'll say about it."

"I shall second that. Delacours and Blacks have had a rather bloody history, and if anything I'll shake Mordred's hand for ending that House for good." Robert nodded approvingly. "Still, why was your sister trying to manipulate you and Mordred? She should've known that even if she were to get closer to you and him, she would be under extreme scrutiny from Arthur and all the other Pendragons, given her history with Lucius Malfoy and Death Eaters."

"She was doing Dumbledore's bidding, who wanted to have someone close to Mordred and start using our son to his advantage." Arthur told Robert with evident anger in his voice. "That old damn goat still won't relent, even after everything that had happened. He must be obsessed with Mordred, if he is willing to blackmail Malfoys and use Narcissa like that."

"Isn't he just doing the Potters' bidding for them? Why would he be interested in Mordred?" Apolline asked of them all. "This doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me. To go such extreme lengths, just to get him… There has to be something more to it all."

"And there is." Suddenly, a new voice spoke up, forcing everyone to look to the entrance and see Elena Romanov-Pendragon walking in. "Apologies for intrusion and interrupting your meeting, but there is something that I believe you, Arthur, must be made aware of. It concerns the request you've made to me a month ago." Both Arthur and Aries understood what she meant.

"Yes, I remember. What did the commission determine?" Arthur asked of Elena impatiently.

"That Trelawney is actually a Sage, and that the prophecy she had made is genuine. I am very sorry, Arthur" Elena state to them with a sorry tone and expression.

Arthur and Aries exchanged looks, both now coming to the realization of why Dumbledore was so eager to get Mordred. At the moment when it became clear, Arthur slammed his fist into the table with a roar of fury, realizing that all these years, he and everyone else had been lied to and manipulated by Dumbledore.

"That damned manipulating goat bearded son of a bitch!" Arthur cursed out loud, not caring at the fact that he now attracted concerned looks from Apolline and Robert. "He knew it from the very damn start! He knew about Voldemort and his damned Horcruxes, and not only did he know about it all, he didn't even have it in his damned mind to tell us about it all! If only we had known about it, we could've turned that war to our favor, but no… That cursed bastard played us all, used us for his own benefit, just like Voldemort used his cronies…"

"Elena, I don't mean to pry, but what is this all about?" Robert asked of her.

"Dumbledore had let it slip to Arthur that there is the Prophecy concerning Voldemort and The Boy Who Lived, which was made by Sybill Trelawney. Arthur had asked me to use my connections with the Delphi to find out if the Prophecy was genuine or false. As it turned out, the Prophecy is genuine and is real, and it may very well be linked not to the Potter's child, but to Mordred." Elena explained to them. "Dumbledore must've also realized it and that is why he is so desperate to get Mordred. The old damn fool is trying to take control of the future and shape it to his advantage."

"But just because there was a prophecy made does not mean that it fully determines how a person will fulfill it, or his life's choices." Apolline recalled from her own studies of the prophecies. "Mordred may not need even be aware of it, and he can still fulfill it in some way. If Mordred's destiny is connected to Voldemort's demise, then it will happen in one way or the other."

"But it has to be done how Dumbledore wants, that is why he wants Mordred and Jamie." Aries told her and Robert. "He probably didn't even tell the full version or the prophecy itself to anyone. Only Pettigrew knew it to the fullest, but he is as good as dead."

"Well, even if we don't know what the contents of that prophecy are, we can't let it guide our lives or the life of Mordred." Juno stated to them with strength. "He is a child right now, one that had been through hell and he needs the support and love of his parents and those closest to him to grow up well and healthy. The last thing he needs is us treating him any different because of what we learned. Destiny and life will play itself best without our, or anyone else's, interference."

"Juno is right." Arthur agreed with her. "As much as I hate to admit it, but we best not try and alter fate or manipulate it like Dumbledore would, and we will most certainly not change our attitude and relationship with our son. However, that doesn't mean we will be sitting idle and letting our boy do all the dirty work and get hurt by Voldemort. That snake faced bastard is still alive and won't die unless we help him. Grayfia, tell us what did you learn from that House Elf?"

"Spoken like a true Pendragon Lord, milord." She smiled to him, before returning to her usual serious demeanor. "Kreacher had told us that the pendant was discovered by him when Voldemort had asked Regulus Black to borrow Kreacher for the purposes of checking if the defenses of the pendant were adequate in stopping anyone from taking the said pendant. Against wizards, they are, but not against Elves, as Kreacher apparated to Regulus and informed his master about the pendant. Apparently, Regulus wasn't as loyal to Voldemort as it may've appeared. He had been able to determine that Voldemort had created Horcruxes, and even identified two of those, with the pendant being the third he was made aware of. According to the Elf, Regulus wanted to find them all and destroy them."

"Regulus? I knew that he wasn't as cut out for the war and atrocities as Bellatrix, but to find out such a secret and wanting to destroy them… I seriously underestimated him." Arthur admitted with a hint of admiration in his voice.

"Did Kreacher tell you how did Regulus obtain the pendant and what were the other two he found out about?" Aries asked of Grayfia.

"The pendant was obtained by Regulus, but at the cost of his life. Kreacher was ordered to destroy it, but was unable to do so, which drove him in to madness." Grayfia stated the facts. "The other two that Regulus was able to learn about were the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, which currently resides in Gringotts' Vault that belongs to Bellatrix Lestrange. And the second one is a diary of someone named Tom Marvollo Riddle, which is in personal possession of Lucius Malfoy."

"Tom Marvollo Riddle, you say?" Juno asked of her again with a thinking look to her, with Grayfia nodded to her. "Wait a minute…" Juno suddenly took out her wand and began to draw the name of Tom Marvollo Riddle in the air.

Once she was done, she waved her wand and the letters began to float into different places. In the next second, they all saw how the name of Tom Marvollo Riddle became "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT". Aries instantly determined what it meant, with others being not too far behind her.

"This is the real name of Voldemort, and the diary is his." Aries spoke out. "I know of no Riddle family or any wizard with that surname, but his middle name Marvollo is familiar to me. It used to be a commonly used name in the House Gaunt, a Branch family of House Slytherin and its last known descendants."

"That House had ended when it's last male member died in Azkaban, and by the time that happened, there was nothing left of the House, safe for the name, their Parselmouth ability, a half destroyed shack and a few trinkets." Juno spoke up again. "Much like Blacks, Gaunts had squandered their fortunes and had taken loans from Medici Bank, but unlike with Blacks, we've gotten everything we were owed and some more back to us. If memory serves me correctly, Marvollo Gaunt was the last officially recognized Lord Gaunt, and he had two children, a son and a daughter. The son was the last Gaunt that died, but the daughter…"

"She could've been the mother of Riddle, and he may've learned about his heritage." Elena understood what Juno meant. "Do you think Dumbledore is aware of the real identity этого ублюдка (of that bastard)?"

"I believe he knows, but keeps it to himself. It is his hobby, keeping all the valuable information to himself and not shares it without extreme need. All for the Greater Good, as he likes to tell everyone." Arthur almost spat that out of his mouth. "It wouldn't surprise me if he was also aware of the fact that Voldemort had made Horcruxes. He must at least suspect something like that already, yet he didn't even think about sharing that extremely valuable information with us.

"Even if so, we still don't know for sure if those three are all the Horcruxes that Voldemort had created." Robert pointed out.

"Four Horcruxes." Aries said in a quiet voice. "Mordred… He was one of them. The shard of Voldemort's soul in his head and trying to possess him… I should've realized it back then." Aries stated with shame, with Apolline going to her and comforting the woman.

"There was no way for you to know or suspect that he was a Horcrux, milady." Grayfia reassured Aries, who smiled to her. "However, Lord Delacour is correct. It would be prudent to find out if Voldemort had crafted more than those Horcruxes."

"I know someone who can help us out with that." Arthur told them, making a note to get in contact with Galahad. "In the meantime, we have to decide what to do with this information and how are we going to use it. Obviously we can't just let Voldemort regain his strength and power without at least trying to stop him from doing that. Even if we can't really reach those Horcruxes at the moment, we must do at least something that would weaken him and his forces."

"There are still some Death Eaters that are at large, who weren't exactly prosecuted and escaped into the other countries. While most of them are in England and enjoy their damn lives, there are those that aren't there, and I think I'll be able to get them." Robert spoke up, thinking about what he could do. "I'll need the permission of Eduard, as well as him knowing what you told us, but with the man's hatred of Death Eaters, it will be easy to get the needed permissions. Plus, Francis should also be able to help out with ICW, since most of those bastards have gotten themselves in good graces of their local Ministries."

"Aside from Death Eaters, Voldemort had used Werewolves to a terrifying effect." Aries reminded them all about those beasts. "I am still researching the lycanthropy and I doubt I'll be able to create an effective cure from it, but I am close to creating a vaccine that will make a person immune to lycanthropy. But even with that developed and wide spread to everyone, that still doesn't change the fact that there are hundreds of Werewolves who had served Voldemort and many of them had escaped to continental Europe. France is the most plagued by them, and they must be stopped for good."

"Eduard and I have already made up the plans to subdue and take out those rabid Werewolves. We've already contacted the Werewolf enclaves and gotten the information regarding who is behind the attacks. It's your old acquaintance, Arthur, Fenrir Greyback." Robert told him. "Apparently, the damn beast had managed to survive the last encounter with you and is now hiding somewhere in Southern France."

"I should've gone for the head." Arthur remarked out loud, recalling his encounter with the notorious beast and his pack. "Are you certain that the Aurors and Paladins will be able to capture him and take care of his pack?"

"They will be our support in this endeavor, Arthur." Robert said to him in a bit of a cryptic manner. "Eduard and I have assessed the situation and have determined that ordinary Aurors won't be enough to take care of Fenrir, given his track record. Because of that French Minister has issued an order to have the Jaegers reinstated and given this task." Arthur and Aries looked at Robert with no small amount of surprise.

When the Death Eaters had begun to act with impudence across all of Britain and France, French Ministry had reacted to the threat posed by them and Voldemort with far more competence and determination. The decision was reached to form a task force, fully dedicated to hunting down and taking down Death Eaters, their supporters and all the other Dark Wizards and Witches that worked with them. This wasn't a standard run of the mill Auror squad, but a joint group, comprised of Aurors, Nephilims, and Mageborns with military training, along with several other magical creatures. Each member of the Jaegers was handpicked by Robert and commander of Jaegers, all of which had exhibited abilities, talents and skills that were deemed as necessary in taking down Death Eaters. Arthur himself was picked up due to his experience in dealing with Death Eaters, as well as being one of the best Charms master in France and a talented tactician.

The task force was given the name of Jaegers, and Arthur was at one time a part of this outfit, while also serving in the Order of Phoenix. And he knew firsthand just how effective and devastating this task force really was to the Death Eaters and its supporters. The task force answered only to two persons, and those were Minister and Head of the DMLE, along with being granted near unlimited resources for their job, and full support of Aurors if the situation required it. And it wasn't only the resources and support that made the Jaegers an effective counter to Death Eaters.

The Jaegers, as the name implies, literally hunted down and attacked the Death Eaters and their cronies whenever and wherever they were in France. They weren't bound by the laws and had the permission to utilize some radical methods for their work, but it was approved and granted by the Ministry for the time. Along with that, Jaegers didn't engage the Death Eaters as the Wizards and Witches would do, discarding the norms of magical combat and general principals of etiquette that were to be upheld by Aurors. Jaegers acted like the wizards and witches did in the times of Great Magical War: brutal, efficient and with any means necessary to achieve the goal.

When comparing the work of Jaegers to that of the Order of Phoenix, it was clear that Jaegers had easily outmatched and outperformed their supposed counterparts in Britain. Arthur saw clear as day just how mired in decision making, inability to go past the norms and just obstructed by their general inability to act as the situation required. The Order, or rather Dumbledore, was so damn determined to not use force and kill it's enemies when the chance was there, or even to capture them and interrogate, that all it was rendered to be was a reactionary punching bag.

With Jaegers, there was cohesion, readiness to do what was necessary and without any holding back. They had plans, tactics, well worked out strategy and determination to deal with Death Eaters. It was no overestimation in saying that all Jaegers had spilt plenty of blood, but also saved more lives than they took. This initially controversial unit had quickly became one that French Ministry sent to deal with Death Eaters, along with being the single unit of DMLE that acted within the borders of England on several off the book missions. Overall, Jaegers have proved to be just what France needed to fight against Voldemort and limit the destruction and death toll to the level it was.

After the supposed death of Voldemort, Jaegers were utilized to mop up all the Death Eaters and their supporters that remained in France. After they were done the unit and all of its participants were commended and awarded by French Ministry, with Arthur getting the Order of White Lily First Class, being one of seven Jaegers to get this reward. Soon enough with the Death Eaters effectively eliminated, Jaegers were disbanded, with many of its members being integrated into the DMLE and Ministry, while others had went on to retire from the service, like Arthur.

To hear from Robert that Arthur's old unit was being reinstated and once again put to action was surprising.

"I thought that they were disbanded once the threat of Death Eaters and their supporters as a dangerous force had evaporated." Aries spoke up. "Is it really so necessary to reinstate such a… ferocious force to deal with what are remnants of Death Eaters?"

"While as an organized force they may be broken, their disbanded elements still pose a significant threat. The upper echelons of Voldemort's army may've escaped the justice and lounge around in England, but most of those that were underneath them weren't as lucky, and they haven't abandoned their deluded dreams." Robert spoke up. "They are still active in other countries and continue to stir up trouble for the governments, by forming their own small bands and cabals of likeminded individuals and causing havoc in the magical communities. So far, their effect wasn't very noticeable, but the effect still remains and their actions jeopardize all that we had worked for. Along with that, there is also Fenrir Greyback and his Werewolves, and Jaegers are the one unit that has consistently beaten them all and came the closest to capturing Fenrir. You yourself have led the capture or kill mission agaisnt the beast, haven't you?" Robert pointed to Arthur.

"Yes, but we failed that night to capture him, and we were led into a trap." Arthur recalled. "So the Jaegers will be in charge of hunting down Fenrir, and remnants of Death Eaters across the globe?"

"That's what we intend to do, and I've already contacted Esdeath on the matter. She's more than happy to be back in action, and she wanted me to offer you the position of her second-in-command if you decide to join." Robert relayed the offer.

"Tempting, but I think I'll pass. I have my family to take care for, and with all that had happened with Mordred… I fear that I might not have the luxury of providing him with an ordinary and normal childhood." Arthur said with clear sadness in his voice. "And something tells me that he is no longer just a child, not after what he had gone through."

"But we will still give him all the love and support he needs and deserves." Aries told her husband and herself with a small smile. "Prophecy or not, that doesn't change a single thing about our son, or about our family and how we should treat him. We'll give him everything he'll need to build his own future, and we will prepare him to defend himself and those closest to him if the need ever arises."

"That we will do, Aries." Arthur agreed with her, before returning to the topic at hand. "Even with Jaegers reinstated, it won't do us much good if Fenrir and his pack slip out of our fingers into some other country. If he is in Southern France, he'll either make a run to Italy, or to Spain, once he catches the smell of trouble."

"I'll have a word with the Italian Minister and convince him to put our Aurors on alert in case he decides to cross the Alps into either Italia or Switzerland." Juno told them. "As for Spain, Isabella should be able to help you out with that. She is the favorite in becoming the next Minister of Magic there, isn't she? Aside from closing off borders for the wolf and his pack of mutts, I believe it will easy to arrange several joint operations between the ministries of our respective countries."

The group continued to draw up plans and deciding how to best weaken Voldemort. They may not be able to change destiny or alter fate of Mordred, but that didn't mean they weren't going to just leave everything to Mordred to deal with. That would not only be irresponsible of them, but would be utter stupidity and cowardice, as they were capable of doing something that could affect the incoming war and weaken Voldemort. And Pendragons were going to do their damn hardest to make Voldemort sorry he had ever crossed this house. But along with that, they weren't going to let Dumbledore get his way and use the situation for whatever damned reason he had come up with.

* * *

**Château de Pendragon's gardens.**

The gardens of House Pendragon were as beautiful as ever, and they were filled with happy laughter and cheers from children, which was always a welcome sight for the inhabitants of the Château. Raynare, along with three additional maids, watched with smile as Mordred played with Charlotte and Pyrrha, with Gawain and Morgana watching from the sidelines as their little brother was having fun. The two had been extremely worried about him when they saw their parents return with Mordred in Arthur's arms. When they had learned the full extent of what had happened, their reactions were predictable and understandable, with Morgan cursing the name of Narcissa with nearly every foul word she knew, while Gawain remained silent, but enraged and angered that Dumbledore and others would do such a thing.

While he was a Pendragon, he was one of those cases where the draconian blood wasn't as strong and potent as in the other members of his family. According to his mother and father, he was born with a gentle heart and without the same fire as his sister has in her. He was a more level headed of the two, or at least he hopped he was, as he preferred to think about the situation first and then find a way to resolve it. But along with that, Gawain had always preferred to believe in the best in people and that there was always a way to resolve things peacefully.

His father and mother had told him that compared to them, he was a pacifist and an idealist and that it wasn't a bad thing. Unfortunately, he also had to deal with the reality and that there were people that would sooner take advantage of his naiveté then agree with him. The situation with Narcissa, where she took advantage of his mother's sympathy towards her sister, clearly shown that he needed to be more careful from now.

While Gawain was in his thoughts, Morgan noticed how a new face showed itself in the gardens. She turned her head and looked directly at Fleur Delacour walking into the gardens. The girl had a determined look upon her face, which wavered, once she came face to face with second eldest of Pendragon siblings.

"Well, well, looks like a little bird had landed in our garden." Morgan said as she looked at Fleur. "So, little birdie, what brings you here? And do the parents know of you being here?"

"Mama and Papa are talking with Lord and Lady Pendragon as we speak, and I am here… I am here to apologize for all that I had said to Pyrrha… and Mordred." Fleur told Morgan with no small amount of shame for what she had done, with Morgan looking at her with a curious eye.

After a few long moments of silence between them, Morgan simply stepped aside and motioned to Fleur to go further. Veela girl looked at her with a surprise, but nodded back and moved ahead. Morgan saw that Gawain finally noticed that Fleur was also present and moved to stop her, but instead was stopped by Morgan herself, who shook her head at his attempt. The hot blooded girl of Pendragons knew that Fleur really wasn't here to cause any problem, but to really apologize for what had happened. And Morgan knew that she better let Veela do it, rather than stop her from fixing up the mistake she made.

Thought it wasn't even a month, Morgan knew that Mordred missed his first real friend and her company, and while he was glad to have Pyrrha near him, it wasn't the same as with Fleur. Both of them were very dear friends to him, and both were individually important to him, despite all the differences they had. He missed Fleur and wished that she would come and that they could go back to being friends, but at the same time he didn't want her to say bad things and offend Pyrrha like she did. He just wanted them all to be friends, and Morgan knew it very well, as Mordred had shared it with her. The two had grown considerably closer since Morgan had ended her friendship with Nym, and to Morgan, Mordred had a very special place in the heart. She really did feel responsible for his wellbeing and wasn't going to let anything hurt him, or for him to feel hurt.

Fleur quietly made her way to the playing group, seeing how Mordred was playing with his little sister and Pyrrha, until he stopped and noticed her. The two girls did the same, showing the look of surprise, with Mordred too, but his was mixed with a one that seemed to indicate hope and sadness at seeing her. He was the first one to speak up.

"Hi Fleur." He said in an almost casual way. "How do you do?"

"How do I… Um… I'm fine thank you." Fleur said awkwardly, fidgeting a little. "Mordred, Pyrrha, I wanted to tell you that I am… I am really, really sorry about all that I had said to you and I feel very bad about it all. I didn't want to say them all, but I did, and now I…"

"It's okay, Fleur, I understand." Pyrrha suddenly said to her with a small smile. "And I apologize too for barging in like I did. It wasn't my intention to steal your friend, but I was just really excited to have a first real friend, not one that was just trying to get the attention of my mom because his or her parents told them to do so. And I would also like to get to know you better, if you would like it."

"B-but why would you forgive me so quickly? I said so much bad things about and you and yet…"

"That's because we want to be friends with you, Fleur, and sometimes it's not easy, when friends disagree with each other. But if your friend is willing and wants to continue being your friend, then he is a real deal." Mordred told her, recalling what his sister Morgan told him. "I'm sorry for hurting you like I did and I would like us to be friends, just like we used to. And if you want, we would like you to play with us."

"Well, I… Okay, but I take the lead!" Fleur said happily, with the group now added up by one more person, continued on.

They played like nothing had ever happened between them, and it soon became clear that Fleur and Pyrrha were quite happy with having each other as not enemies, but as friends. They teamed up against Mordred and Charlotte, earning themselves plenty of laughs and wins over the siblings. In a few minutes it looked like there never was a fight to begin with between them all, and it brought smile to all that saw the kids play. That continued for about an hour, until something unexpected happened, when the kids were playing hide and seek, when all heard a cry from Charlotte. The moment it was heard, Mordred and Morgan were the first rushing towards the girl, with the former reaching her first.

He saw how his sister was up against the tree, with a menacing snake slithering towards her, hissing at her. And Mordred somehow understood it.

_"Stupid human! How dare you disturb my rest in my lands! You shall have my venom for this!"_ The snake hissed at Charlotte, before it suddenly stopped and heard a hiss coming from Mordred.

_"Stay away from her!" _Mordred told the snake, surprising it, himself and Charlotte, with the snake stopping in its tracks. _"Get away from my sister, now!"_

_"This one is a speaker?! I obey the speaker." _Snake hissed back and began to back away, before it was suddenly disintegrated by Morgan, who held her wand out, while Charle ran towards her older brother and got him in the hug.

"What just happened?" Morgan asked out loud, with Charle speaking up.

"Mordred just scared away that snake and saved me!" Charle said, as she hugged him. "He hissed at her like the snake did at me and it was crawling away."

"It spoke…" Mordred said in a hollow voice. "It spoke, and I spoke back…"

"Spoke? As in speaking to that snake?" Fleur asked, as she and Pyrrha made their way to them, along with maids and Gawain. "But that's not possible. People don't just talk with snakes all of a sudden."

"Not if you are a Parselmouth." Gawain said, getting the attention of everyone. "It's an ability to speak with snakes, and a really rare ability. Papa said that it's just as rare as what Mordred has, and that Voldemort and many Dark Wizards used to have that ability as well."

"Voldemort?" Mordred said, as he paled at the mention of the man. "Does that mean… I'm going to be like him?"

"Hell no! That means that you can just speak with that slithering thing, that's all!" Morgan said to Mordred, taking him by the hand. "C'mon, let's go and tell Mama and Papa, they'll tell you that you aren't like that guy."

* * *

**A few minutes later.**

Morgan led the whole group into the study of Arthur, where they saw all the people that were gathered here. Quickly enough, she told her parents and everyone else what had happened, with Aries immediately moving to examine her youngest children and see if they were hurt. Once it was done, and Mordred asked if he was going to be like Voldemort, Arthur spoke up and answered him.

"No, Mordred, you are not going to be like that man. It is true that a great many Parselmouths have been Dark Wizards and Witches, and abused this ability greatly, but that was not because they were able to speak with snakes, but only because they chose to do so out of their own free will." Arthur told his son, calming him down. "You have a very unique gift, Mordred, and it's only up to you on how to use it. Just because you have magic and your abilities doesn't make you bad or good. Only you yourself can choose whether to use them for good or bad, and it's based on your actions that it will be determined who you are. There will be many of those that will think you bad just because of your Parselmouth ability, but never let them and their words to get to you. And I don't see in you someone who will be a bad wizard. rather I see one that shall be a great good one, since you didn't hesitate to protect your little sister." Mordred smiled to his father.

"But from where did Mordred get this ability?" Gawain asked all of a sudden. "I don't recall any Parselmouths in Pendragon family that are related to us."

"I believe that this ability comes from me, Gawain." Aries spoke up. "My great grandmother, Lucretia Rosier, was originally from House Serpentigo, an Italian Noble House that always had a great number of Parselmouths in it. While such ability wasn't inherited by my grandmother, my mother actually had that ability, and it is possible that Mordred had inherited it from my line just like that. Now, why don't you Gawain, Morgan see to it that our children are presentable for the dinner?" Morgan and Gawain did just that, leading the group out.

"I couldn't really tell if you were making that one up, or was it really true." Arthur admitted to her.

"Because it really was true." Aries told them. "Mom never liked to talk about it, and I only found out when I was Charlotte's age, when a snake nearly bit me. From what I learned, Parselmouth ability gets weaker over the generations, if new holders of this ability are not married into the family. I suspect that is why our children don't speak with snakes, safe for Mordred, and I suspect that neither his children, nor his grandchildren, will have that ability."

"But could he have gotten that ability from Voldemort, when he was…" Robert asked of Aries, who didn't wait for the question to end to answer it.

"No, he wouldn't get it when he was being possessed by him, or while he was his Horcrux. He could possibly be able to speak with snakes while he had a shard of Voldemort's soul, but without it such route is close for Mordred." Aries told him and everyone else. "And I've performed every single magical scan and examination I know on Mordred, and I can tell you that there isn't a single, tiniest speck of Voldemort's soul remaining in him. My son is his own master, and that Parselmouth ability comes from my side of family."

* * *

**Sorry for not posting a week earlier, but I hope that this chapter will be enough of a compensation for your wait. I'll try to squeeze in another one this week, but I can't give you any promises. Anyway, Fleur and Mordred are friends again, and all is good for now. **

**Also, I wanted to say again that I greatly appreciate your support and all the reviews and opinions you give me in regards of this story. You help me become a better writer, and while I know that my grammar leave a lot to be desired, I hope that you can bear with me. And I wish you all good health and luck in face of today's crisis in form of Coronavirus. I hope that you all are doing well and that your friends and family are well too.**

**Review, give me your opinion, suggest who is the better love interest to Mordred- I'll listen to all.**

**Next time: Situation in England; Unwelcome encounter in Paris.**

**See ya!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hogwarts. Headmaster's cabinet. August 31****st****.**

The atmosphere within the cabinet of current Hogwarts' Headmaster, formerly also Chief Warlock of United Kingdom and Supreme Mugwump of International Wizarding Confederacy, was grim and somewhat tense, which given the circumstances for all those present here was nothing surprising. Dumbledore sat at his usual place, looking not like his usual grandfatherly figure he had preferred everyone to perceive him as, but looking like a grim old man with much on his mind and not a lot to that he could do.

He surveyed all that were assembled in his office and noted that their disposition was quite close to his, with some having even worse moods, like Sirius, Molly and James. Others, like Fabian, Gideon, Frank and Alice, felt less angered, but more disappointed and distressed at the events that were happening in England and the Magical World. Ever since the Order's attempt to get Potters' eldest son had failed and they were apprehended by the French Aurors and French Minister of Magic, British Ministry and Magical Community had to face harsh consequences for their actions. Bagnold and Crouch were completely ousted from their positions in the Ministry, without any right to return back into working there, as well as facing charges from ICW of corruption, abuse of power and authority, as well as purposeful neglect of their duties during the Wizarding War.

Dumbledore had managed to escape being put on trial with them, through carefully planted evidences that incriminated both of them and saved him from jail. As he himself saw it, it was better to sacrifice those two than face charges for what he did and answer for his actions. Albus was the Leader of the Light and as a leader he had to make hard choices and difficult decisions, and since he was in charge of the forces that opposed the evil and the Dark, he didn't have to explain himself to anyone. Who were those people that thought that they could simply judge him, and who was he and his true followers. Yet alas, he didn't escape unscathed from this ordeal, despite the great deal of effort he put in it.

He was publically removed from both offices of Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump, without the right to return on these posts under any circumstances. Dumbledore was able to hold on to his position as Headmaster of Hogwarts, through _substantial _bribing and convincing of great many people, but aside from that, he had lost his effective grip upon the Ministry and Wizarding World as a whole. At least he was still the great wizard in the eyes of Britain and its people, which he saw as being the most important part of the world, and he was in charge of Hogwarts, where he could shape the future generations of Wizards and Witches as he saw fit and to his design.

And besides that, he still had many devoted and politically powerful friends in the Wizengamot and Ministry of Magic, all of whom were prepared to listen and heed to every word that came out from his mouth. Through them, Albus Dumbledore shall retain his power over Magical Britain and its populace, and the newspapers and all other sources of information within the country still claimed him and his followers as heroes, while painting all those that opposed him and his noble goal as villains and fools.

Unfortunately for Dumbledore and his cohorts, that is where their good news end and where the bad news begin to pile up and appear. Due to how they've handled the situation regarding the proclaimed Boy Who Lived and the concealment of the truth behind the fate of Harry Potter, Dumbledore and the Order have made a now mortal enemy of Arthur Pendragon and all of his allied Branch Families and Successor Houses. These allies were both numerous and immensely influential, with Houses such as Romanov-Pendragon, Medici, d'Estrella and others holding enough power to threaten the very order of the world and its power balance. House Pendragon may appear to be nothing more but a ghost power to the British people, but to the larger world there is no one that could compare in might, power, riches and influence to this family.

The accursed descendants of Mordred have established themselves over the centuries as major magical faction in the entire Wizarding World, and the main line of Pendragons in France held influence that even Dumbledore was forced to fear, due to the fact that Arthur was not someone to forgive a slight or what they had done to a boy he loves as a son. While Dumbledore and Potters did try to make him see reason behind their actions, Arthur and Aries refused to comply and because of that they were forced to act as they did. The smearing campaign of House Pendragon was a total success in the British Isles, but a total failure in Europe and the rest of the world, as the reputation and integrity of Arthur and House Pendragon had afforded him an effective measure of protection from the bad press from Daily Prophet.

Even Alice's scheme to have Aries removed from her work didn't pay off, but instead backfired, as now Aries was free to pursue her own research and was now, according to Dumbledore's friends, heading the research of cure against lycanthropy, with full funding from several ministries around the world. The news of that were a shock to the Order, and although it was seen as nothing more but an already failed attempt to change the world, news that Aries had _already _made progress caused distress to them. If she is successful, she would become a person of such popularity and influence, that would make Dumbledore look like nothing. Along with that, the news of her work had spurned hatred from Snape, who saw Aries as an inferior to him in the field of Potions' making, and Lily, who had always been jealous and envious of Aries' talents and successes.

When it became clear that their plan to force Pendragons to give Harry back through slander and manipulations with the newspapers and information had failed, Dumbledore and the Order decided to resort to a forceful method of confrontation. It was a risky thing to do, but after Bagnold promised full support and help in this, Dumbledore and the others were assured that they will be successful. Instead of the success, they got the most embarrassing and humiliating political defeat of Britain since the Great Magical War.

Not only did they fail to get Harry, but he was already not even a Potter by blood, but a full bloodied Pendragon and named Mordred, who held immense magical power already at his young age, as well as possessing the infamous Mana Burst. All of that, as well as the information about Voldemort trying to possess Harry, confirmed to Dumbledore that he had made a mistake with Jaime and that Harry was the real Boy Who Lived. He needed to get him under his control and command so that he could shape the future to his own image, as Voldemort's return was immanent and only the one whom he had marked as an equal was going to stop him.

And while Dumbledore was going to make sure that it comes to pass, he will ensure that he is the one to reap all the rewards and shape the world to his benefit, for he alone possesses the vision and power to do so. He may not reveal the fact of his discovery to his allies and followers, stating that the return of Harry Potter to his family would be beneficial to them all as a protection of promising powerful wizard from evil, but that doesn't change the fact that the boy was his by right as a Leader of Light. Not to mention that he now owed Dumbledore for killing Fawkes with that accursed power of his. He needed to get Harry, or Mordred as he was now called, and Dumbledore was going to get him one way or the other.

But right now, or any time in the near future, he and everyone else doesn't have any way or an opportunity to get anywhere close to the boy. Mordred was now fully protected by his parents, not to mention by Juno Medici herself, Head of House Medici and Medici Wizarding Bank. While she may not be in control of the money that British Wizards have in the banks, she is the one that all Wizards and Witches go to for loans and money. And she is now calling in _all _the debts and loans her bank had given over the years to the British Wizarding Community, with even Ministry itself being literally forced to pay her. Failure to meet her demands would ensure that her bank takes whatever is needed to compensate their losses, and quite a number of Noble Houses was now finding themselves on a verge of bankruptcy.

Along with House Medici and it's thrice cursed head, Dumbledore and his followers were now forced to deal with Elena Romanov-Pendragon, an extremely influential Russian Witch, who had used a commission from Delphi to investigate the credibility of Sybil Trelawney as a Sage. Fortunately, she was proven to be a Sage, but at the same time she was sacked from her position as a Divination Professor for her complete lack of professional skills as a teacher. This revelation had prompted the ICW to form begin forming a commission to investigate the quality of teaching in Hogwarts and how do its teachers conduct themselves. Such a notion was met with the protest from Cornelius Fudge, now Minister of Magic, who adamantly refused to even let the commission set foot upon the British soil, thanks to Dumbledore advising him to do so. This prompted an international backlash from all the other Ministries, accusing British Ministry of corruption and lack of competence, as well as severe straining of the diplomatic ties between the Magical Nations, with some like Spain expelling the British diplomats from its soil and recalling their own.

Their new Minister on Magic, Isabella d'Estrella, had publically condemned British Ministry for its corruption, inability to effectively deal with Death Eaters and allowing a great number of them to remain free and without any punishment. On her inauguration, she proclaimed to capture all the Death Eaters, their supporters and associates and to have them trialed as terrorists, a notion that was welcomed by the public at large. She also proclaimed that her government will do whatever is necessary to prevent another possible crisis like one in Britain from ever arising, along with completely dealing with the aftermath of the Wizarding War.

In conclusion, she also proclaimed a formation of a coalition between Spain, Italy and France to effectively combat and eliminate the threat of wild werewolves who have become a serious problem in Europe ever since the end of the Wizarding War. Dumbledore had hoped that deporting all of those Werewolves that were allies with Voldemort would solve the problem of them allying with the Dark Lord in the future, but instead of that, he made sure that European nations knew whom to blame for a rampant increase in Werewolf attacks. This further alienated the Europe and all the other nations from Britain, with many important business companies starting to pull out of Britain in an effort to cut their losses and not find themselves in bad lights with more profitable and politically stronger countries. Right now, the effect was practically unnoticeable, but in the future… Dumbledore and others feared that Magical Britain may face poverty and bankruptcy within a decade, maybe even less.

And they needed to do something about it, which was the reason why Order of the Phoenix was assembled in the Hogwarts.

"We need to do something about the Pendragons and Arthur with that damned wife of his! We can't just let get away with they had done without being punished, especially after how they've turned that poor defenseless boy into that freakish demon!" Molly Weasley was the first to speak up her mind, like she always done. "That damned Black witch is most certainly just like her damned sisters, even worse, if she did such a thing with poor Harry."

"Molly, for a hundredth time, that boy is no demon, and what he has is a magical ability." Fabian tiredly retorted to his sister. "That's Mana Burst, a natural ability of House Pendragon, and not demonic in nature."

"And how do you know of it, Fabian? That's the ability that was used to kill Merlin himself, the greatest Wizard of all, and only a demon could do it!" Molly refused to listen to reason, making her twin brothers both groan. "I am telling you all, that Pendragons are going to use that boy for evil. We should have the Aurors go there and take that boy, or at least kill him before he does anything evil in the future, like hurt my poor little kids!"

"Oh give a damn break already, will you?!" Gideon practically snarled at her, completely irritated with his sister's antics. "You and your family aren't poor anymore, thanks to me and Fabian, and what effect do you think it will have on us all, hm? After what we had pulled off, half of Europe doesn't want anything to do with us, and we have the single most powerful family infuriated and pissed off at us. And do you know what will happen if we kill that boy? Pendragons and their successor Houses, as well as all of Europe will declare war on Britain! We are lucky that they haven't done so already and that they uphold the Charter of Wizarding Confederacy, which is about the only thing that really protects our independence and our lives."

"That's not to mention that we won't even be able to get anywhere close to Pendragons, let alone even scratch that boy's head. From what I've heard, Delacour and de Brienne have reinstated the Jaegers, and they are already back in business." Alastor Moody spoke up, surprising everyone with the news. "I may be fearless and somewhat not sane, but not even would want to face off against the raging monster that is Esdeath and her death squad, not after the last time."

Everyone remembered what Alastor spoke about, they all knew that facing off against Jaegers and Esdeath is truly a horrifying and scarring experience. The Order had worked with them once, when Dumbledore had arranged for them the Jaegers to assist him and his followers in a crucial operation. The cooperation went well, with the result being a great blow being dealt to Voldemort and his supporters, but the methods of Jaegers and Esdeath had ensured that the Order and Dumbledore will never again call upon them for help.

They were merciless, completely without regard for lives of Death Eaters and their associates, and they used weapons, methods and tactics that were completely unbecoming of a true Wizard or a true Witch. Add to that the fact of Jaegers being a mixed group of not just Wizards, but also Nephilims and other, in British opinion, inferior magical creatures, had cemented the opinion of them being just barbaric and ineffective in real Wizarding War. Dumbledore and the others had spoken to Esdeath and Arthur about it and had tried to sway them to utilize the methods of the Order, but that ended up triggering Esdeath's anger.

She, like many of her colleagues, called the Order an infirm body and a completely lackluster force that couldn't even protect its own people, much less the others. In the end, after their cooperation was terminated completely, it turned out that Esdeath wasn't too far off the mark, as Jaegers had proven themselves as an extremely reliable and effective counter to Death Eaters. The Order meanwhile, which was still painted as great heroes, was forced to admit their shortcomings, but not change, since Dumbledore wasn't going to change the tactics and strategies of the Light, as all of it served for the Greater Good.

Still, that didn't mean that the Order was blind to their own shortcomings, and they knew full well that if they were to make a wrong move, the Jaegers will wipe them out.

"Even if we were to agree to another such suicidal action, we won't have the support we need to pull this off." Frank Longbottom spoke up. "With Amelia in Crouch's office, we can forget about any form of support from DMLE and the Aurors. The fact that we've not told her about our plans, as well as the fact of her brother dying due to our fault, has cemented in her mind that we aren't to be trusted. Hell, she's far more eager to make amends with Arthur and his family, then help us. She's already fired Sirius, James and Remus from her Department, just to appease Arthur."

"That damned bitch! Who gave her the right to throw me out like some damn street mutt!" Sirius practically roared from fury.

"Perhaps the fact that you are a street and homeless mutt has given her such right." Severus Snape sneered at snarling Sirius, who with James, glared at Severus. "At least now your social status is completely aligned with your physical one."

"That's it, I'll fucking gut you, you damned sleazy Snivellus!" Sirius was about to tackle Snape, but was stopped by Minerva McGonagall.

"That's quite enough, Sirius! Restrain yourself from such words and actions. And you do so too, Severus." She chided both of them. "We all understand that you are having not the best of times, Sirius, but it is no reason for spreading profanities and acting like a complete savage."

"Not the best times?! What do you fucking know about it, you cat loving woman! I've lost everything because of that fucking brat: money, status, even my own fucking magic!" Sirius cried out of fury.

Some looked at him with sympathy, while others didn't even bother to listen to him, as they now felt him to be beneath their attention, now that Sirius was a Squib. The Order was aware of the plans to turn Mordred against House Pendragon by using Narcissa Malfoy and blackmailing her and her husband. It didn't seem like a bad thing to do, and they believed that it was quite alright to use these two for the Order's good. After all, they were serving the Light and the Greater Good, and in battle against Dark and evil, all measures were available. The plan, unfortunately, had backfired spectacularly and caused some of the most unusual effects.

The news of House Black being completely now gone and ended were a shock to say the least for the British Magical Community. Nobody could've foreseen that Mordred would actually pull it off and that he would do so, nor was anyone expecting to see a complete severing of the magical bonds that House Black had made. In a single instant, many of the relatives of House Black felt their magical prowess and power diminish, with the effect of said diminishing varying on the closeness of relation to House Black. Most got off quite easy, but not Sirius, whose origin literally came from only House Black. Mordred's action had not just made Sirius homeless and a social pariah, but also a magical one, as practically all of magic had left Sirius and he was made what he despised the most: a Squib.

The transition from a full-fledged and powerful Wizard into a thing that he most despised wasn't taken well by Sirius, as he instantly found himself unwanted by most of those that just a few days ago saw him as a friend. Even James and Remus started to grow distant from him, and Sirius suspected that it wouldn't be long before he was forgotten by them as their once friend. He was grateful to Dumbledore for allowing him to stay in Hogwarts as he literally had nowhere else to go, along with no job to apply himself to. Why would he ever even interest himself in muggle sciences and all that strange stuff, when all he liked about them were clothes, women, cars and motorcycles. But now he had nothing and he was practically nothing.

"Yes, yes, we all heard you, Sirius. Stop repeating it for us all!" James snarled at him. "But even if you hate him for what he did, I can't let you just have him, Sirius. Lily and I need Harry, no matter what!"

"Oh, would you too please stop us filling with that bull?" Alice spoke up. "All of us here remember how you spoke about that boy and how you even stated it was for the best that he was gone. Don't go and try to convince in the otherwise."

"We wouldn't have bothered with him, Alice, had he remained a Squib, but now that he has his magic back… It means that we need to get him back, for House Potter's sake and our own." Lily spoke up to her. "Without Harry… We will become just as poor as Sirius here."

"How come? What do you mean by that, Lily?" Molly asked of her, concerned for her future alliance with Potters.

"She means that without Harry, we'll be left without any money and possibly magic for that matter." James revealed to them all, surprising them all. "A few months before his death, my father had made a will, one in which he had named his successor and one who will lead House Potter after his death."

"So? You are Lord Potter and you were Fleamont's only son and that means you lead the House." Arthur Weasley spoke up, with James scoffing at the gullible man.

"As if it were that easy." James said with anger in his voice. "My father didn't think that I was actually up to the task of handling our House and all of its assets. I don't know why or what could've possessed him, but he didn't name me his Heir Apparent. He named Harry his immediate Heir Apparent, putting him ahead of me and all my and Lily's children that come after him! And what's even worst is that he named my mother his Regent to rule the House, and if she were to die, then the custody and title of Regent would go to Arthur and only after him would it finally be given to me!"

"But even if so, Harry is no longer even your son. He is a full blooded Pendragon and shares blood with Arthur and Aries, which means you should be the Lord Potter." Remus spoke up.

"it's not _that _simple, Remus." Lily said. "My late father-in-law apparently was suspicious of me and James, or was simply mad, because he made it clear in his will, that if Harry was no longer even share blood with Potters, he would still be the inheritor of all the wealth and lands. The only circumstances in which Harry wouldn't inherit a thing would be if he were dead or incapable of performing magic, like being rendered a Squib. I suspect that harpy Euphemia had whispered into Fleamont's ear things about us, just so that her infallible and great Arthur would be able to get everything of Potters."

Not a lot of the present Witches and Wizards believed the words of Lily, since it was an open secret that Euphemia disapproved of Lily and wished that James wouldn't marry her. Before Lily, James was engaged to another witch, Alessandra d'Estrella, younger sister to current Spanish Minister of Magic. A union between the Potters and d'Estrellas would've further solidified the position of House Potter and opened them the doors to Europe. However, despite the witch being from a very prestigious family, with a great dowry and a beauty that rivaled Lily, James, ever defiant of any authority, decided to marry Lily, who had put quite the effort to get him for herself. The marriage wasn't approved by either Fleamont or Euphemia, but they did learn to live with it, especially after Harry was born.

The consequences of James' actions were serious, as House d'Estrella almost called for a blood feud between them and House Potter, and only Arthur's intervention stopped any possible bloodshed from happening. As Head of House Pendragon and an officially recognized Head of all Pendragon family, Arthur managed to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict, resulting in Fleamont being forced to give a public apology to Lord d'Estrella, as well as considerable amount of money as a compensation. James may believe that he got away scot-free, but that incident had long soured the relations between Potters and many Houses of Pendragon bloodline, as well as had sown seeds of mistrust between son and his parents.

Those that knew Euphemia and Fleamont well will remember how they had loved Arthur and practically raised him on their own, since his own father didn't want anything to do with the boy that took the life of his wife when he came to life. Both Lord and Lady Potter had long wished for a child of their own, and though Arthur wasn't born in their House, they took him in without any regret and loved him as their own. It was thanks to them that Arthur grew up the way he did, and he loved both of them as if they were his true parents. When James was born, Fleamont and Euphemia were delighted and happy to have him, and had tried to raise him the same way they did Arthur, but only much later did they realize that the two of their boys turned out to be completely different and that they've failed to rein in James' attitude.

Because of that, as well as James' actions and the ongoing war, along with Fleamont's deteriorating health, it was decided that House Potter would better not be given into the hands of James. Fleamont's hopes were in his grandson, Harry, who was being raised by Arthur and Aries, much like he and Euphemia raised Arthur. Because of all that had happened, along with James' inability to handle any serious responsibility, Fleamont made sure that Harry would inherit House Potter, even if he was somehow removed from the line of succession. Both he and Euphemia suspected that neither Lily nor James would be thrilled at the fact that Harry was Lord Potter, and that Arthur was his Regent, hence the special conditions in the will.

If only the now deceased Lord and Lady Potter knew just how far would their son and daughter-in-law go just to get what they believed was theirs by right...

"If that is the case, they how come you have access to the Gringotts and all the money of House Potter?" Frank asked of them. "If Fleamont had really made that will, then the Goblins would have to be notified and informed about it, as is required. And if that is the case, they wouldn't let you get even a single knut out of the Potter vault."

"Yeah, and we still haven't gotten access to it since Harry regained his magic, but I do have access to Fleamont vault and the vault of mother, as well as all the business properties, at least those that are still in my possession, thanks to a very amenable Goblin accountant, who isn't above getting a few more galleons into his pocket." James told them all. "There is enough money to last us for a long time, especially after I've funneled a number of galleons to other vaults, but that is nothing when compared to the treasures and everything that is within the Potter vault. Somehow, thanks to that stupid Sleekeazy of his, had made millions of selling it and now all that is in that vault and all we got is just about what was left in my grandmother's vault, my mom's personal savings and what I managed to siphon out of the main vault."

"Still incapable of living without your parent's pocket money, Potter? Perhaps they weren't so wrong when they've decided that a toothless, crying baby would do a better job of keeping their House from going penniless and becoming a laughing stock, much like their son." Severus couldn't help himself, and only Fabian and Gideon's intervention had stopped things from escalation.

"Anyway, when by the will's conditions does the period of regency ends and Harry gets to inherit it all?" Frank asked of James. "And does anyone know about this will, like Arthur or Aries?"

"When he reaches his 16th year, he will be in full control of House Potter and all other accounts that I hold, and no, Arthur and Aries don't know of it. From what I can tell, nobody knew about the will, but if Arthur and Aries do find out…." Lily shook her head. "We need to get Harry back home no matter what! Headmaster, is there really nothing that we can do about it all?"

"I am afraid, Lily, that at present time, I lack any form of effective resources or means to get our dear Harry back where he belongs." Dumbledore had finally spoke up, rising up from his seat. "As it stands, unfortunately, we are at a critical disadvantage and simply cannot afford further escalation of a conflict with Pendragons and Arthur. I fear that for now we may need to concede him this victory and let him keep Harry in his family."

"But Professor, surely you…" Remus tried to speak up, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"But I do not mean to give up on the boy just yet, nor forget that he was taken away from his rightful place and family. No, for now we will have to wait and try to mend the damage that Pendragons have inflicted upon us and our poor country." Dumbledore told them, with his followers agreeing to it. "It will take us years and quite some effort to regain the position as a bastion of Light in the eyes of all other countries, but we must do so. Because if we do not, we may very well find ourselves unprepared to face Voldemort when he returns, but until he does, we shall make ourselves ready and prepare Jaime to his fate. And as for Harry, I shan't forget of him, and in the years that will go by, I believe I shall be able to find a way to reintegrate him into our society and to return him to you, James, Lily." Dumbledore finished.

He knew that it would take a long time for them to get to Harry, but he was willing to wait and use this time effectively. The boy was still young and not of the age to go into the magical school, and so Dumbledore shall have plenty of time to set everything up in such an order that Harry, one way or the other, finds his way to Hogwarts, either in the first year, or in the year of his brother's beginning there. One way or the other, Albus was going to get the real Boy Who Lived and make sure that when the time was right, he shall become the heroic sacrifice needed to stop the great evil. And once it was done, he shall claim the ruined shards of their society and reform it as he sees fit.

All for the Greater Good.

* * *

**Short one, even compared to my other chapters, but I couldn't deny you the right to know what was going on in England, and plus you asked for it plenty of times. So there you go.**

**Anyway, as for the reason for my absence in the last week was due to the fact that Russia, or part of Russia where I live, as two weeks ago had went into a quarantine and it messed up my entire life pretty darn greatly. I now have to learn to write my stories on a different keyboard and in a different in place from my usual one, which messes things up for me, but I believe I'll be able to compensate.**

**Now, I really hope that all of you are doing well in these terrible times and I wish you all good health and luck for all. I'll try to post a next chapter soon. Oh, and yes, Mordred will be going to Hogwarts and it will happen in a few chapters.**

**Next time: Welcome to Beauxbatons.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. September 1****st****. 1984**

Nestled between the Pyrenees mountains, that serve as a natural border line between France and Spain, stands proudly and with great dignity a majestic castle of unmatched beauty. Decorated with white marble, golden colors and all sorts of decorative splendor of unnatural beauty, the sight of this place bewitched those that first saw it and warmed the hearts of those that visited it before. Surrounded by mountains that served akin to a barrier that separated this small enchanted world, filled with splendid gardens and majestic fountains, from the world from which all of the arriving students, teachers and guests were from.

Today was the first of September and the very first day for many young children when they officially make their first steps into the Magical World by becoming students of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. This day was always a special one in the Academy, as the chateau was opened for not just it's new first year students and students of later years, but it was also opened today for the parents and guests that came with the children. Hundreds of parents and their children, both of magical and non-magical descent, were present in the great hall of this marvelous castle, mingling with their kids and speaking to each other.

Unlike in Britain, here you would have a harder time to tell a Wizard from a non-magical, as the people here were dressed in the similar fashions to each other, and it was the most common sight to see Magical folk talking to non-magicals without even a shadow of prejudice or displeasure. After the Second World War and the dark days of Grindelwald's terror, the notion of racial superiority had waned over the coming years and soon practically disappeared from the masses, with only few extremists and hardliners still clinging to long morally outdated principals. Although, unlike with Britain, these disturbing elements weren't in much of a position to change things, as politics of most European countries were dominated by progressive and democratically oriented people. Thanks to these politicians and the realization of need to modernize, Magical Europe, safe for Britain, could enjoy all the technological assets of the non-magical world and coexist with the normal people in a peaceful manner.

Speaking of non-magical population and the first generation young Wizards and Witches, Beauxbatons Academy prides itself on being an efficient and unbiased facility that teaches its students magic regardless of their origin. And while the magical families and their children already have an in depth understanding of a Magical World, the non-magical people and children most of the times don't know a thing about all of it. In these cases, Beauxbatons, with the support and full cooperation of European Ministries of Magic, provides all the necessary information to the non-magicals and first generation Wizards and Witches via books, pamphlets and most importantly, specialist that work on introducing newcomers to the Magical World.

Unlike with their British counterparts, these specialists are not just from Hogwarts, but workers of the Ministries, with specialized education in psychology, sociology and all the other needed aspects, to safely and efficiently explain all the details about what their children are about to become a part of. Usually, such things do not happen over one meeting, like with Hogwarts, but are done in multiple meetings, so as to more effectively prepare both the parents and the children for the Magical World. Such practice has proven its efficiency and usefulness, as children are better prepared for the Magical World, while their parents can rest easier knowing that they aren't giving away their children into a hostile world.

Another stark difference between Beauxbatons and Hogwarts is the complete funding of all necessary materials that students will require in their studies. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is funded not just by the French Ministry, but by most of European Ministries, providing a very generous funding and budget to accommodate its staff and students in everything that they may require. This allows the non-magicals to not spend their own money to buy all the essentials for their children, as Beauxbatons pays for all the books, clothes and more. The only things that parents need to pay for is a magical wand, and, if they wish, a possible pet or additional books and materials for the study. As for the transportation of students into Beauxbatons from all the various countries and cities throughout Europe, Ministries have set up a system of portkeys, specially modified for safe utilization by non-magicals with the assistance of a magical. This same system allowed the many non-magical families to come here today with their children, and it is the same system that brought most of the magicals into the Beauxbatons today.

Among the many families with their children and returning students, Pendragon family was present, alongside the Delacours and Medici families, all of whom were sending their children into their first year of Beauxbatons. And while the parents were chatting among themselves and with their children, soon to be students of the Beauxbatons were excitedly awaiting the moment they would be permitted to go on their first lesson. Even Mordred was quite excited at the prospect, much like a child of his age should be. His parents were very happy for him and most relieved that over the year, their son had managed to move past what had happened with him and despite the attempts to take him back by the Potters, Mordred was now a healthy happy boy that was about to start going into the magical academy.

"I can't wait when we finally get into our class! I hear that they make all first classes face a dragon!" Fleur excitedly chirped, making her parents and Gawain and Morgan laugh a little.

"Nah, you first years get only trolls. Dragons are for the fourth years, so you'll have to wait for a bit, spitfire." Morgan joked, making her sister and Mordred laugh a little at Fleur's reddening face. "But seriously, you guys are getting an easy deal for the first three years, with you not staying here on a permanent basis for the whole year, plus you get to have shorter classes. Can't believe that I miss the good old days."

"You sound like we won't be seeing you at all." Charlotte said to her. "Doesn't Beauxbatons allow its students to go back home on the weekends and on special occasions, like with Christmas?"

"Yeah, it's allowed, and we'll be sure to check up on you from time to time when we are not on studies." Gawain assured them with a smile. "As for you, Morgan, we aren't even that old so don't start going all the 'good old days' on us."

"What, am I not allowed to recall the good times I had as a first year old?" Morgan asked of him with an indignant face, making the grown-ups chuckle at that.

"Of course you are allowed, my dear, but I believe that right now we are more qualified to speak of the 'good old times'." Apolline remarked with a smile, before turning to Arthur and Aries. "This must be quite different from your Hogwarts experience. Care to share a little of those times?"

"It is vastly different from our time in Hogwarts: no parents around, we were older, the sorting into rivaling houses. The atmosphere was magical, to a certain degree, but I think I would've much rather preferred going to Beauxbatons then Hogwarts." Aries told them, before giving her husband a smile. "But then I would've never met the only man that swept me off my feet, both literally and figuratively."

"Same goes for me too." Arthur added with a smile. "Still, I can tell from the firsthand experience that between Hogwarts and Beauxbatons I would pick Beauxbatons any day. A far better education and quality of study here, plus an actually well protected and secure academy, where you don't have to fear some spooky monster from Forbidden Forest making its way into the castle, or the gatekeeper that likes to spend time with acromantulas and dragons, and every dangerous being in between."

"I can believe the bit about the Forbidden Forest, but the gatekeeper and acromantulas? Arthur you must be pulling our leg on this one." Juno chuckled to that a little, with Aries letting out a sigh. "Besides how would even acromantulas find their way into Scotland from their jungles?"

"I wish he was, but then again, Hagrid always did have an unusually potent interest in all creatures that are hazardous for others health. Like with those said acromantulas, whom Hagrid must've smuggled from those jungles and let them roam freely in the Forest." Aries spoke with complete seriousness in voice. "Last I checked, their colony had gotten awful close to the edges of the Forest, but that was a good long time ago."

"You mean there is a literal colony of acromantulas, in Forbidden Forest, which is literally situated a walking distance from Hogwarts?" Robert asked of Aries and Arthur. "How does British Ministry even allow it to be there, or how come Dumbledore even tolerates such danger for the children in such close proximity?"

"More like a spitting distance, and yes, it is there. As for how and why, do recall that the said Ministry had allowed Voldemort to rise in power. And as for Dumbledore, he never did have much of restriction for young men and women dying in his watch. After all, he does allow the teachers to send students there under the watchful eye of Hagrid as a punishment for breaking rules." Arthur added. "When we were attending Hogwarts, at least 5 students were never heard from again after they ventured into the Forbidden Forest. Of course, those were non-magicals, and after a visit from the Obliviators, the families of the missing children continued their lives, blissfully unaware that they even had children."

"Despicable." Juno spat out, nearly scaring Pyrrha. "And you've went into such a place instead of the traditional Beauxbatons? Why exactly you were denied the entry, Arthur?"

"My father." Was all that Arthur told them, with all of the grown-ups understanding with he meant. "Anyway, enough about the past and Hogwarts. Let's focus on today, and today is a…"

"Hey, did someone say Hogwarts, 'cause Hogwarts best are right here today with ya all!" Suddenly for the Pendragons and their friends, as well as all the surrounding them Wizards and Witches, yelled an upbeat girl, that was making her way to them.

In the next second, Pendragons were forced to witness the appearance of Nymphadora Tonks, with her messy purple hair and grin on her face, followed by her parents and Arthur Weasley, along with his two eldest sons, Bill and Charlie. The fact that they were here was nothing short of a small shock for the present company, but what was more surprising was the fact that they were actually dressed in the garbs of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Arthur exchanged looks with Robert, who too looked mesmerized and didn't understand what to think of it.

The two made a mental note to have a word with Francis when they had a chance. And while the two Heads of their respective Houses were making mental notes, Nymphadora, without any sort of permission, moved towards Morgan and Mordred who stood near her. In a single second, Morgan pulled her little brother closer to Charlotte and put herself between him and Nymphadora, showing with her looks that she wasn't letting her once best friend anywhere close to her family. Nymphadora seemed unfazed by this, nor the glares she saw from Morgan and Gawain, as she went on to hug her cousin, only to be stopped by Morgan's crossed arms on her chest.

"Morgan, what's with all the scary face and glares? Aren't ya happy to see your best friend? C'mon, we haven't seen each other in a hell of a lot of time." Nym said to her in an upbeat tone. "But don't ya worry, 'cause we'll be seeing each other a whole lot more from today, and I guarantee that you won't be going bored in here every day of your life, now that I'm here!"

"Hugging my best friend would imply that you are one, which you aren't, Nymphadora." Morgan used the full name of Nym on purpose. "And what are you, your boyfriend, his older copy and the expire copy of him doing in here? Shouldn't you be in your own school?"

"I believe we all have the same question to ask of you." Juno spoke up, turning to Andromeda and Ted. "Would you care to elaborate what are you and your children doing in here? As far as I am aware, British Wizards and Witches aren't very welcomed in France in these days. And I am quite certain that you didn't just suddenly change schools for no good reason."

"No we haven't changed schools, but that doesn't mean that Hogwarts' students can't attend Beauxbatons, at least not since we've been offered to take part in a student exchange program, set up between Hogwarts and your school." Arthur Weasley proudly stated. "Young Nymphadora and my boys will now be going in here for a few years, representing Hogwarts best. Ah, I am so proud of my sons here."

"A student exchange program?" Aries asked again, turning to her sister with a suspicious eye, which Andromeda tried to avoid.

"Yes, a joint effort made by possible thanks to Headmaster Dumbledore and Headmistress Maxime. Doubt you would've heard of it before today, since, from what Albus told us, he wished to make it a surprise for all." Weasley continued with blissful ignorance of a tension in the air.

Arthur and Aries, as well all others understood perfectly what this meant. They had hoped that the Order and Dumbledore had given up their attempts to get close to Mordred after a whole year of inaction. But instead of a surrender, it appeared that Pendragons were being lulled into the sense of security and made to lower their guard, while Dumbledore plotted his next move. And this move was quite something that neither Arthur, nor Robert and others could've seen. A student exchange program was nothing new in the non-magical world, and it wasn't something all that uncommon in the Magical World, but this was the very first time that Hogwarts has decided to engage in it. Before that, all of its Headmasters and Headmistresses avoided such a practice, as they thought it was a waste time and resources, as well as ineffective in achieving anything.

Dumbledore was of the same mind, as Arthur knew for sure how the old goat hated to let his students go abroad and discover for themselves just how outdated Britain was. Along with that, Albus never liked to lose control over potentially useful pawns in his schemes and games, so he forbidden such practices, at least until now. This sudden shift of his position, especially in the light of Mordred beginning to attend Beauxbatons, spoke of only one thing, and that Albus Dumbledore and his cronies were now taking a different approach to getting Mordred. Instead of a direct confrontation, he decided to let his loyalists' children to get close to Mordred and get him on their side. An insidious and immoral plan, especially for the supposed Leader of Light and Good, but both Aries and Arthur knew all too well that when the situation called for it, Dumbledore didn't give a damn about morals and others.

While Arthur Weasley and his boys were clearly Dumbledore's supporters, both Lord and Lady Pendragon were surprised to see the Tonks' family here and clearly on the side of Dumbledore, given the fact that Andromeda and Ted were averting their gaze from Aries and Arthur. The Pendragons had hoped that their friends would remain away from this mess and not get involved in any way, but now it looked like this was not the case. Arthur and Aries couldn't just wrap around their heads why would Andromeda and Ted just side with Dumbledore and take part in his schemes. It wasn't just like them to pick up sides in the disputes that didn't directly touch upon them. The only thing that Arthur could've thought about was that Dumbledore had blackmailed the Tonks family through some clandestine means, or more directly with expelling Nymphadora out of Hogwarts. Still, Arthur was going to find out just why did his friend and his sister-in-law did this, and he was going to find that out directly.

"Ted, a word." Arthur simply said to him with a tone that didn't leave room for negotiation. "Aries, watch over kids. We'll be back in a bit." With that said, both men had departed from the group and made their way to a more remote and private part of the castle, in one of the adjacent corridors.

Once they were safely out of the earshot of anyone that could be listening, Arthur turned towards Ted and spoke up.

"Ted, you know that I consider you and Andromeda a part of our family, so I won't be jumping to conclusions, and will let you explain yourself." Arthur assumed a diplomatic tone, but underneath it he was clearly on edge. "So, why would you, a man that had always told me that he doesn't like to get involved in things outside his own business, suddenly gets so involved in this whole matter between me and Dumbledore?"

"Oh, so you think that this student exchange program is just a way for Dumbledore to get to you? Aren't you being a little full of yourself, Arthur?" Ted asked of him in a near sneer. "What if it's just a harmless school program meant to mend the relations that _you_ and _your _new son had worsened between England and Europe?"

"For one, I know Dumbledore and how he generally thinks, and if he gets something in his head and fixates on it, he'll use any and all opportunities to get it, even if he has to wait a whole year to do so." Arthur's tone became colder. "Second, Hogwarts had _never_ participated in such things, and Dumbledore would sooner eat his own beard to allow his potential future puppets get away from his control. Third, he sends two eldest Weasleys here, members of the most devoted to him family in here, and he also sends Nymphadora, someone who has a direct connection with my family, despite the past trouble, and who is also a devoted follower of Dumbledore's church, so to speak. So, care to explain why did you get involved?"

"Pft, like I wanted to get involved in this whole damn business between you and Dumbledore, but you and your brat just _had _to ruin my and Andy's lives for us!" Ted said with anger at Arthur, surprising him. "What, did you really think that your and Aries' stunt wouldn't hurt us in England? Well, thanks to you deciding to play good Samaritans, Andy and I've first lost our jobs once people figured out that Andromeda and Aries were sisters."

"Are you blaming us for losing your jobs, in our effort to save our son?" Arthur asked of him directly.

"He isn't your son, is he." Ted reminded Arthur, who narrowed his eyes upon his now former friend. "Couldn't you've just returned the boy to his real parents, no? Apparently you just had to play the hero and take a stand."

"And what do you know about Potters and how they treated 'their' son, hm?" Arthur asked of him. "Did they tell you how Aries and I've kidnapped him, or how we denied them even seeing the boy, or how we've been scheming behind their backs with Euphemia just to get Harry? Ted, I thought you were smarter than that, and we've told you many times about how Potters didn't even bother with raising Harry. Two weeks, that's how long did they remain with him, before hopping back into the action against Death Eaters, leaving their son for _weeks _before seeing him again! Without them near him, it fell to me and Aries to take care of him, and I'll be thrice damned if I were to allow those hypocrites anywhere near him after abandoning him and literally trying to rip his magic out of his body!"

"Yeah, I've heard all that many times, but the ritual was of Pendragon's design, wasn't it?" Ted asked of him angrily.

"A forbidden ritual, punishable by death if ever used by anyone of our blood." Arthur narrowed his eyes upon Ted, who didn't relent. "That was my mistake, when I told James about it, and by all rights he should pay for it, along with Lily, Dumbledore and everyone who participated in it."

"Even if it was for the greater good?" At that moment, Arthur grabbed Ted by his collar with both hands and practically slammed into the wall with a look of furious dragon on his face.

"Don't you fucking tell me about that fucking Greater Good shit! No good justifies what they've done to my son, and now you are siding with the people that had nearly killed him and forced him to spend _two fucking years_ in agony and torture!" Arthur practically roared at Ted, before letting him go. "What the hell happened to you, Ted? Why didn't you contact me or Aries? Why didn't you tell us about your problems, damn it!"

"So that we would come groveling to you, the all-powerful and mighty Lord Pendragon, begging for scraps from your table? I've built my life on my own and never had groveled or begged for anything, and I wasn't going to start with anyone, especially with you." Ted practically spit that word out of him. "A golden boy who has always had everything go his way and had it easy his whole life?"

"Easy? Have you forgotten that I've lost most of my family, or how about the fact that I was practically _banished _from my ancestral home, because my damned father blamed for death of my mother?' Arthur reminded Ted. "I never sought to become the Lord Pendragon, but you already know that, Ted. No, this isn't just because of petty jealousy, isn't it?"

"No, it's because of what you, Aries and that damned Squib of yours had done to my wife and daughter!" Ted shouted at him, with Arthur restraining himself from hitting the man. "Remember how a year ago you've dissolved House Black? Or, more accurately, you've had your little new brat do the deed."

"Ted, one more word about my son, and I swear to you, that you'll not only miss the upcoming speech, but you'll have to be hospitalized." Arthur threatened the man.

"Whatever. Did you and Aries think that dissolving that House would go unnoticed by anyone, or that there won't be any consequences? Well, guess what, because of your stunt, both my wife and daughter had suddenly found themselves without a great deal of magic in their bodies, and a severe immune deficiency because that!" Ted told Arthur.

"Aries had visited your family a few days after it all happened, and she told me that the dissolvent of House Black didn't affect Andromeda and Nymphadora." Arthur reminded him.

"Maybe it didn't at first, but a few weeks later, my daughter and wife both were literally at the death's doorsteps, and I couldn't do _anything _to help them, as I literally had no money to get a proficient help they needed." Ted continued. "I couldn't even get a loan or borrow money, thanks to you mucking up relations between England and France."

"Then why the fuck didn't you call Aries and me?! You know better than anyone that Aries _specializes_ on these cases, and Andromeda is her younger sister?! If you weren't going to call us, then the least she deserved was to know that her sister was in such a bad shape!" Arthur stated to him with a roar.

"And have you mess things up even more?! No way, and besides, they did get the help they needed, thanks to Dumbledore." Ted told him, with Arthur starting to understand what it meant. "Without him, both of my girls would be dead and homeless, as he not only healed them, but also made sure that Andromeda and I've gotten good jobs, making sure that we could pay for our daughter's tuition. And not only that, but he also told me the whole truth about your schemes and how you are trying to ruin our best chance against Voldemort."

"I've heard enough." Arthur stated with cold fury. "I had thought that Hufflepuffs know the meaning of the word "loyalty", but it would seem I was wrong about you."

"I know where my loyalties lie, and they are with my family and people that wish to save our world, not with some rich heroes that risk everything for a thieving Squ…" Ted Tonks wasn't able to finish his sentence, before Arthur's right fist slugged him in the face.

The strike broke the man's nose and sent him falling onto the stone floor. Ted hissed out of pain, while Arthur looked at him with disgust and spoke up.

"I warned you, Ted." Arthur reminded him, before leaving the man in the corridor and going back to join his wife and children.

* * *

The moment Arthur and Ted left the group, Mordred and his family immediately felt how the silver-haired boy suddenly became the center of the attention for the British guests. It didn't go unnoticed by members of Pendragons' branch families, as Apolline and Juno moved closer with their kids to Aries, while Robert narrowed his eyes upon Arthur Weasley and Andromeda, moving in front of the kids.

As for Mordred himself, he felt the envious and jealous looks of Bill and Charlie, as well as a fake cheerful look from Nymphadora, which made him feel disgusted inside. If in the past, he would've tried to avoid being a center of the attention. In the present, after a year of recovering from his traumas and social trouble, he had no trouble being in large crowds with lots of unknown people, or being a center of attention, even negative one. He also learned, thanks to his time studying under Sona and Grayfia, how to read the crowd and the emotions of people. And what he saw from his cousin and her friends from Hogwarts didn't fill him with elation or fear as it would've in the past, but with disgust and anger. Mordred knew very well how Nymphadora spoke of him, thanks to his sister Morgan, and what her boyfriend thought of him. Needless to say, it didn't make young boy think better of them.

Once her father and uncle were out of reach, Nymphadora decided to make her move towards Mordred.

"Wotcher, kiddo? You probably wondering who I am and how come she knows your sister, right?" Nym asked of Mordred.

"No." The boy said with coldness in his voice. "You are Nymphadora, my cousin and once a friend of Morgan."

"Once? I'm still her friend, and the best one she's got, right, Morgan? And don't call me that. Call me Tonks, like all my friends should do." Nym asked of Morgan, completely forgetting why they haven't had much of contact within the past year.

"I'm sorry, but didn't you get the memo, when've nearly blinded me on one eye after I've pounded your boyfriend here into a beef steak?" Morgan asked of Nymphadora, who recalled it at that moment. "I don't know about you, Nymphadora, but I'm not one to forget those that badmouth my family, and I am even less forgiving of those that betray their blood."

"Pft, like he is much of a family to you, especially since he is a Squib." Charlie sneered, with his father glaring at him, along with the mothers and Robert. "Even if he were cured, somehow, he is still the same as that rat Filch and nothing will change that."

"Care to repeat that?" Mordred suddenly spoke up, as he came from behind Robert, glaring with his blue eyes at the boy, who looked at him with disgust.

"Mordred, please don't let this guy aggravate you." Aries asked of her son. "We'll deal with…"

"It's okay, Mom. Really." Mordred assured her, before turning back to Charlie and rest of Weasleys. "So, I am no more than a rat with no magic, is that right?"

"Yeah, and I don't know why Morgan and the others don't see it. Maybe they are just keeping you as a pet, for this woman's future dark experiments." Charlie said with malice in his voice, with now Andromeda glaring at the boy. "After all, she is a Black witch, and all Black witches are evil and…"

"So that includes your grandma, too?" Mordred suddenly asked of him, making him stutter. "Cedrella Weasley, nee Black, is your grandmother on father's side. If she was Black witch, then by your logic, that makes you also Black, at least on one fourth part, but still somewhat evil by your criteria."

"You watch your mouth, brat, or we'll…" Now Bill spoke up, but was interrupted by Gawain.

"Or you'll what, try and hex us in front of hundreds Wizards and Witches, not to mention Head of French Department of Internal Affairs and Law Enforcement?" Gawain asked of them, reminding where they were. "Why don't you pick your little brother and weasel your way out of here, before things start to get heated up for you. And trust me, just like Weasleys are good in weaseling out, so are Pendragons great in bringing the heat into any situation." After these words, only Arthur Weasley's physical intervention had stopped his sons from grabbing their wands, leading them away.

"Wow, you've really talked those down, kiddo. I haven't seen Charlie or his brother that red with anger since my House took the House Cup by one point in my second year. You might actually be fun to hang around, Harry Potter." At the mention of that name, Mordred turned his head to Nymphadora and spoke to her with a voice filled with cold hatred.

"My name is Mordred, and not Harry Potter." Mordred reminded her. "And something tells me that you won't find many friends here, and I doubt I'll be much of fun for you, Nymphadora."

"Stop calling me that, it's Tonks, remember?" Nym didn't take into the account the hostile tone of the young boy. "Well, if you want me to call you by your 'real name', then how about Mordy, hm? I think that sounds rather cute, just like you look like a cutie pie." Nym was practically reaching for him, before Mordred swiped her hand away. "Hey, what gives?!"

"I hate being touched by strangers, and those that think they've got any right on that, like you and your master." Mordred glared at her with his narrowed eyes.

"What master? What are you blabbering about?" She asked of Mordred.

"Do you think that just because I'm little, that I am not as smart as others?" Mordred asked of her in a very serious tone of voice. "I may be little, when compared to you or my older siblings, but I'm no less mature than they or you, and I know why did you and your friends come here. And you can tell Dumbledore and Potters, that whatever they want from me, they can forget about it." After that, Mordred turned away from the girl and walked back to his mother.

"I believe my son said best. And Andromeda, I didn't expect this from you." Aries said to her with equal parts of disappointment and sadness. "I can only hope that whatever the circumstances, it was worth it."

"We've had no other alternative, Aries, so Ted took the only option that available." Andromeda said to her, with Aries not budging. "Nymphadora and I… After you've dissolved House Black and after your check up, we've received the consequences from being cut away from House Black's magic. We got sick, really badly and if not for Dumbledore…"

"You and Nym suffered from it, and you didn't even think to call me?!" Aries practically hissed at her. "I'm going to assume that you weren't the one making the decisions at the moment, and that Ted, in all his self-centered wisdom, decided instead of doing the obvious do what best suited his own standards."

"You and being too hard on him, Aries, and… It was the only way we could even keep living like we did, and have Nymphadora go to Hogwarts." Andromeda said to her.

"You could've asked for help from Aries and Arthur, if you've had trouble living in your England." Apolline spoke up. "I don't know what you've had in your head, but I highly doubt that Arthur and Aries would've just ignored you."

"Ted did what he thought was best, and I stand by his decision." Andromeda simply told them. "I'm sorry, sister, but…"

"Don't." Aries simply told her with an ice cold voice. "You've already said enough." After that, Aries simply turned away from her sister, as Arthur returned to his family with a look that told them that his talk with Ted didn't go well.

In the next few minutes, Madame Olympe Maxime finally opened up the ceremony of new school year and began her speech, greeting all the newcomers and returning students in Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. And all the while she spoke, Arthur and his wife, along with the rest of Pendragon bloodline members understood that not even Beauxbatons wasn't safe for Mordred and their children, especially with Dumbledore gaining access to it, thanks to his student exchange program. It meant that despite being technically a persona non grata in France, he could still use the pretense of checking up on his students to get here, and there was no doubt that Madame Maxime would try anything to prevent him entering Beauxbatons.

While she was known as an efficient Headmistress and someone who looked after her students, she was also one of Dumbledore's friends and someone who owed him a great deal. From his own sources, and thanks to Isabella D'Estrella, Arthur knew full well that it was thanks to Dumbledore that Madame Maxime had gotten her position of Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. He had vouched for her, as well as used his position as Supreme Mugwump to get her appointed instead of the intended candidate that was Isabella, who at time was a Professor here. It was clear that half-giant lady was now paying her debt to Dumbledore and will be more than happy to assist him in his schemes.

If that were the case, then Arthur and Robert will have to take precautions on such a case, and Arthur already had in his mind what to do to secure his children from the Dumbledore's influence. He may not be in control of Beauxbatons, but that didn't mean that Pendragons were not present in position of influence in here.

* * *

**Several hours later. Potions Class.**

The class was fully packed with the newly minted first years of Beauxbatons, with Mordred, Fleur and Pyrrha all being in the same class. Despite the earlier encounter with Dumbledore's cronies, the rest of their first school day went very well and they were glad to now be students. They've already had their first class in Basics of Magic, where they've learned all the rules of correct handling their wands, along with class in Latin, where they were learning the alphabet and right pronunciations of all of them. Now was their first Potions lesson.

At the desk, near the blackboard stood a tall, young beautiful woman, with long chocolate colored hair and green eyes. She was dressed in an official professor's attire, which consisted of robes. She had a small smile on her lips, looking at the new students, and once everyone was settled, she spoke up.

"Welcome, first years, to your first class in Potions. My name is Alessandra D'Estrella, and for the next 3 years, I shall be your Potions' Teacher. You can address me as Ms. D'Estrella and Professor D'Estrella, and before you speak up, please raise your hand high up for me to see." Alessandra introduced herself. "Now, before we begin our first lesson, I wish to congratulate you all on becoming students of Beauxbatons Academy. Today all of you, both first generations and magic-born, have taken your first step into the real world of Magic, and, as your teachers, it shall be our duty to help you make your way in the Magical World. Now, let us begin our lesson properly. Who can tell me, what does potion making mean?" Several hands shot up, and Alessandra picked Charlotte to answer.

"It means creating potions by using various ingredients, like roots, leafs or powder." Charlotte answered, with Alessandra nodding to her.

"Yes, a correct answer, Ms. Pendragon." Alessandra allowed her to be seated. "The subject of potions is one where students learn to create elixirs, draughts and all sorts of various potions from ingredients. Now, unlike with most of Magical subjects, Potions making requires not the intricate waves of wand or incantations, but precision, patience and caution. Can anyone tell me why those are important? Mr. Blake?"

"Because you need to be careful when making a potion, and it can take a lot of time, and if you mess it up, then it can explode in your face." Some of the students laughed at what the black haired boy with amber eyes said, including Mordred.

"Yes, at times it can explode, and when it happens it is quite difficult to get all the soot from the hair." Alessandra added. "However, Mr. Blake is correct. Potions making is a subject where being careful and patient when you not only make your potion in the cauldron, but even before, when you are only preparing to start. So today, we shall discuss the topic of personal safety precautions that are essential in the process of making a potion. Now, please open your notebooks, take your pens out and start writing under my dictation…" And so the class went on.

* * *

**An hour later.**

The bell rang, and the children began to pack their notebooks into their backpacks, as well as waving goodbye to their teacher. Alessandra was cleaning the blackboard, before she noticed Mordred having nearly finished packing, while most of the class was already out of the classroom.

"Mr. Pendragon, please remain for a moment." Alessandra asked, with Mordred agreeing, asking Pyrrha and Fleur to wait outside. "Now, could you please close the door and come a little closer?" Mordred did just that, though he was feeling a little bit on the edge because of what had happened earlier today.

"Did you need something, Professor?" Mordred asked of her in a polite, yet a little tense tone, with Alessandra giving him a reassuring smile.

"You can relax, Mordred. I understand that you and your family have had a bad run in with our guests from Hogwarts, and given your history with Dumbledore you may feel on edge." Alessandra understood the situation. "But, you can calm down. Much like my older sister, I hold no love for Dumbledore, and even less for your former family. And I believe we haven't been properly introduced, so let's rectify it, shall we? Alessandra D'Estrella, younger sister to Lady Isabella D'Estrella and former fiancée of one James Potter, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Alessandra did a ceremonial bow to him, with Mordred introducing himself to her.

"Mordred Pendragon, younger son to Lord Arthur Pendragon and Lady Aries Pendragon, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Mordred repeated the process. "I am sorry, but I didn't know that Aunt Isabella had a younger sister, and… that you were a fiancée to Lord Potter."

"Let's just say that I've never been one for large gatherings, and at the moment of your adoption, I was in northern Norway, as a part of expedition to acquire rare ingredients for research." Alessandra explained to him her absence. "And after the expedition was over, I was a part of research team, and only a few months ago did I finish it. As for my past relations with your former father, we were arranged to be married by our parents, and while I was rather taken by him, he decided to slight my family by marrying one Lily Evans, your mother." Alessandra almost spitted out that name.

"I would offer my apologies for the slight, but I believe that living with him would've been a worse punishment than him disgracing you and himself like he did." Mordred said to her, with Alessandra agreeing with him.

"A notion I happen to agree with you on. Still, you have nothing to fear from me, as I am well aware of what had happened with you and how Potters have treated you. You have my deepest sympathies." Alessandra told him. "Now, as for the reason why I wished to talk with you. I believe you have already understood that the presence of our new exchange students isn't a coincidence."

"Dumbledore and Potters aren't willing to simply let me live my life in peace." Mordred stated to her with confidence. "it's not the first time when they use others to get to me."

"Quite, I have heard from Juno about how you've dissolved House Black and how they tried to use Lady Malfoy to get close to you. Very impressive." Alessandra praised him. "However, those people aren't the only once you have to be aware of. They are probably here just to spy on you and report to Dumbledore, if I were to guess, but he also has one more asset on his side: Madame Olympe Maxime."

"Headmistress of Beauxbatons? But why would she help Dumbledore out, since there is no gain for her in it?" Mordred asked of her.

"It's because of Dumbledore that our current Headmistress has obtained her current position, and she has always been an avid supporter and advocate of Dumbledore." Alessandra informed him. "Your father, Lord Pendragon, is a dear friend to me, and he has tasked me to keep an eye out for you and make sure that nothing happens to you while you attend our Academy, and I intend to carry it out. Now, I want you to be careful around our guests, but also around Madame Maxime. It is possible that she may want you to come to her office, and if something like that happens, make sure to demand that another teacher comes with you, or to ask someone to tell me about it."

"You think that she could hand me over to Dumbledore?" Mordred asked of her.

"Doubtful, not even she is that careless, but better be safe than sorry. And in case of emergency, use this." Alessandra took out of her robes a small black stone with a Rune on it and gave it to Mordred. "I've been told you were learning how to channel your magic. So, if you don't have a way to inform me or other teachers about your predicament, channel magic in the stone, and I'll come. And if you crack it, then I'll know that you are in danger and where to look for you." Mordred put the stone away in his pocket.

"Thank you, I will be sure to be careful, and I'll keep quiet about it." Mordred smiled to her.

"Yes, that will be for the best. Now run along, I've kept you long enough. Don't forget to make your homework for Monday." Alessandra reminded him, with Mordred nodding to her, before leaving her classroom.

However, soon after he did so, he crossed paths with one of the older students, who stopped him.

"You are Mordred Pendragon?" Mordred nodded. "Headmistress has ordered you to come to her office immediately. C'mon, kid, I'll escort you to her." The boy moved his hand to Mordred's shoulder, but Mordred stepped away.

"I would like to have one of the teachers present there as well." Mordred suddenly told him, with the student laughing.

"Wow, you really think that any of the teachers will want to attend something like that? Besides, it's a private meeting, and I'm told to get you to her as soon as I find you, get moving, kiddo." The boy pushed Mordred forward and lead him to headmistress, missing how Mordred's right hand reached into his pocket and channeled power into the stone.

Half way to the office, the pair was stopped by Professor Alessandra, who must've took a short cut to get ahead of them. She put up an unaware mask and spoke up to the boy leading Mordred.

"Mr. Larois, care to explain where are you going with the first year of all people, instead of going to your class?" Alessandra addressed the boy with an official tone.

"I've been ordered by Headmistress to escort this first year to her office, Professor D'Estrella." He answered to her. "He tried to bail out, but I stopped him and now…"

"Yes, now you are leading him to Madame Maxime. I shall escort this young man to Headmistress, and you may now head to your next class. I will be sure to inform Madame Maxime about it all." The boy nodded to her and pushed Mordred closer to Alessandra, before leaving them. "I may've jinxed it for you, sorry. Although, I wasn't expecting her to start making moves on you so soon."

"Don't be. Might as well go and see what she wants, Professor." Mordred said to her, with Alessandra agreeing with him.

It didn't take them long to reach the door of Headmistress' office, and after a polite knock, Alessandra opened up the door, letting Mordred inside, before going in herself. Neither of them had expected to see what they saw, and because of that they've had a look of shock on their faces, as they stared at the equally surprised two pair of eyes.

Those belonged to James and Lily Potter.

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**That's a wrap for this one with a twist, hope you enjoy and that all of you are doing well and staying healthy in these trying times. I, on my part, am quite well and healthy, even though things are starting to get a bit tense, as there have been a few infected found in my little town. Hopefully those are the only ones, but somehow I doubt it. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter and leave a review and suggestion, or PM, if you have something to tell me.**

**Next time: Encounter in Beauxbatons.**

**See ya soon and best of health and luck!**


	10. Chapter 10

The shock of the meeting was quite evident in the office, yet it didn't stop Alessandra from taking Mordred and putting him behind her back, while also reaching and taking a hold of her own wand. While she was no Auror or a Paladin of French Ministry, she still had taken extensive course of magical combat during her time in Beauxbatons, as an additional subject for study. And unlike with dueling, where all the focus was made in the wand movements and finesse, magical combat focused on tactics, physical training and effective utilization of charms and curses.

This course was essential for anyone who wanted to become an Auror in Europe, and while Alessandra wasn't at the top of her class in that subject, she did pass the necessary mark to be granted a privilege of becoming an Auror in Spain, a position she had refused in favor of her potions and ingredient seeking. Still, while she may've not served as an Auror, she was no slouch in combat, and given the Pendragon and d`Estrella families preference for combat, it was safe to say that Alessandra was most certainly a capable fighter. And she knew for certain that if something were to happen, she was more than capable of taking on both James and Lily, a notion which did please her in a certain way. She wasn't, however, so certain about her abilities when it came to the half-giantess Olympe Maxime.

While she wasn't known for her prowess in magical combat or dueling, Madam Maxime was quite an experienced Charms and Curses mistress, capable enough to hold the position of Headmistress and Professor of Charms before her appointment. Add to that her giant's blood, and it made for quite a cocktail of a powerful opponent and one that Alessandra wouldn't want to handle, especially with Mordred here at the moment. Still it wasn't quite clear if Olympe Maxime was going to intervene if things were to get out of hands, but Spanish Witch somehow suspected that she was going to act not in defense of her student and fellow teacher, but in defense of Dumbledore's interests. Alessandra currently wished that Arthur had lived up to his word, when he said that he will have someone watching over her and his children from nearby, in case Dumbledore or his cronies had attempted something.

When Alessandra had pushed Mordred away from the front and reached for her wand, Lily and James both reached for their wands as well. All seemed like there was going to be a fight, before Olympe Maxime spoke up, breaking the ice.

"Stop, there is no need for violence and I won't have any in my academy!" She said with a commanding tone, before rising from her seat and walking closer to Alessandra and Mordred. "Professor d'Estrella, please explain yourself. What are you doing here with a student I requested to see, _in private_?" Half-giantess stressed the last part quite hard.

"I was simply following the protocol and rules of Beauxbatons Academy, Madam. I am certain that as a Headmistress of this esteemed establishment you would remember that it is against the rules for students younger than 14 years old to attend the Headmistress' office without either a parent, a close relative, or a teacher." Alessandra reminded to Maxime of the rules, before glancing at the Potters. "And given the company you seem to be keeping, Headmistress, I believe that me being here is not only necessary, but an absolute must, given the fact that these two have inflicted extensive physical and psychological damage to this student in the past with clear intention!"

"We've never hurt our son like that, and even if we did, it was only done for the greater good!" Lily countered, pointing her wand at Alessandra, who didn't bat an eye at that. "Now, stand aside and let us talk to our son."

"If you expect me to simply step away and let you have your way with him, then you are even dumber than I expected, Lily. Clearly, James, you didn't marry her for her brains." Alessandra saw how redhead's face contorted in anger. "This boy is no longer your child, and the only blood relation you may have with him is through late Euphemia Pendragon. He is a Pendragon, and one of our blood, and Pendragons and all their successor House stand for one another."

"Alessandra, put your wand away and let them speak with this student. I promise, that none will have to get hurt today." Olympe spoke up. "These respected members of British Magical Community are here to check on the exchange students, and I saw that there will be no harm in granting their request of letting them see their son, despite all the circumstances."

"And you expect me to buy it, Olympe? Everyone in the teaching staff knows that you've long been in Dumbledore's pocket and that you'll do anything he asks, even let his cronies kidnap a child." Alessandra didn't relent, moving back with Mordred to the door. "We will be leaving, and once we are out of here, I'll make sure to report what is happening here to the Aurors. These two aren't just unwelcome here, but are persona non grata, so I suspect that DMLE will be more than pleased to get their hands on them."

"I am afraid that you _will _have to stay here, Professor." Olympe took out her wand and waved it a little, with the door behind Alessandra and Mordred closing. "Now, all of you, please, lower your wands and let us resolved this as civilized people." James and Lily had exchanged the looks, before lowering theirs, but Alessandra didn't, with Mordred giving cold glares to the three.

"Do you really think that you'll get away with this, Maxime?" Alessandra asked of her. "The moment when Mordred's friends realize he is missing, the first thing they will do is contact their parents, and within a few minutes after that, Lord and Lady Pendragon will come here. And I can assure you, they won't be here to negotiate."

"As a Headmistress of this distinguished Academy of Magic, it is my prerogative to host whoever I see fit, and that includes those that you claim to be personae non grata. Now, lower your wand, or I shall do it for you, Alessandra." Olympe ordered her, but Alessandra didn't do as ordered.

"Damn it, Alessandra, we aren't her for the fight. All we want is to finally talk to our son, to try to explain to him what had happened and why we were forced to do it all. Put that damn wand away!" James demanded of her.

"Like hell I will!" Alessandra shouted back.

"Let's hear them." Suddenly, Mordred spoke up, stepping from behind Alessandra surprising everyone.

"Mordred, please stay back. Whatever these two will say is…" Alessandra tried to dissuaded him, but she was futile in her attempt.

"Will likely be rubbish, but I still want hear it. Or, more correctly, I have a few things to tell these… former progenitors of mine." Mordred said with cold fury in his voice, completely unbecoming of a child of his age. "Besides, they wouldn't be as stupid as to kidnap right from here. The moment it happened, my parents would know who did it and in a matter of hours, Britain would be invaded by Aurors and Jaegers, not to mention an army of Nephilims. And if they did do something with me, then all of Albion will burn for their actions, won't it?" Mordred asked of Alessandra, who nodded to him.

"Knowing Arthur and Aries, they would make Voldemort look like a schoolyard bully in comparison." Alessandra commented, before turning to the slightly paler looking Potters. "Well, you've heard the young dragon. Speak your piece, but one wrong move in his direction, and I'm not answering for my curses." James and Lily nodded to her, before turning to Mordred.

"Harry, I know that…" James had wanted to start, but was immediately interrupted by Mordred.

"I am Mordred, not Harry, and don't even start on that whole 'name of the greatest traitor' thing." Mordred narrowed his eyes on James.

"Aren't you incensed, being named after the monster that killed great Merlin, along with destroying Camelot and killing King Arthur?" Olympe Maxime spoke up out of curiosity.

"That monster saved Britain from a dictatorship by a scheming snake, and prevented the world from falling into the rule of that said madman. As for King Arthur, at that point he was barely the king he once was, unable to hold either Excalibur or Caliburn. He was Merlin's puppet and his death was a release that Mordred granted him." Mordred spoke up, recalling the history of his House and how it was founded. "The great Merlin, that you worship so much, was just a power hungry wizard, that nearly destroyed the world and ruined Camelot. But we digress." Mordred reminded them all.

"Fine, Mordred." James nearly chocked on that name. "I… We understand that what had happened to you was an unfortunate thing."

"That must be the greatest understatement in the century." Alessandra commented.

"However, you must understand that we did had to be done and we didn't do it out of any malice or ill intent." Lily took her turn to speak up. "What we did was done out of love, for both you and your younger brother Jamie. When Voldemort was vanquished by your little brother, Dumbledore told us that he will be back and that only your little brother can stop him, but unfortunately for us all, Voldemort had somehow made Jamie unable to perform magic."

"This was a catastrophe, because without Jamie, there was no chance for us to survive when the Dark Lord returned back. You may be asking yourself why would that be the case, son, but it is true, because it was foretold in a prophecy." James continued, with Mordred listening to every word. "The prophecy claims that only your little brother could stop Voldemort, for he was marked by him, and whatever curse he used on him was that mark! But how could a Squib destroy the greatest Dark Lord in history? It is simply impossible! And so, with heavy heart and great regret, I've recalled learning about a ritual of Pendragons, one where a Squib could be made into a Wizard."

"And one that require a sacrifice of a Wizard or Witch, and one that had been purposefully forbidden to ever be enacted. Don't forget those little details." Alessandra reminded them.

"We knew the risks, and we've had Dumbledore do the needed alterations so as to not hurt our son in the process! Everything would've gone according to plan and everyone would've been happy, had it been successful." Lily countered, before turning to her former son. "I'm certain you don't remember it, Mordred, but that ritual was meant to only share your magical power with your little brother. Unfortunately, something went wrong and while Jamie was healed, you were damaged beyond any healer's ability. You were made into what Jamie was healed from, and because we knew of the prejudice and hatred for the Squibs, we decided, out of love for both you and Jamie, to let my sister and her husband raise you."

"You see, we had to make an impossible choice: either let the world die and have Voldemort win, or save it by giving Jamie what he needed. We chose the latter, because that was the only right thing to do, because it was the only way for both you and Jamie to survive. Lily and I believed that Petunia wouldn't have any bad feelings for you, because you couldn't use magic, but we never would've thought she would hate you just because you were ours." James continued. "And not even Dumbledore could've known that what Voldemort had done with you, or that he would try and corrupt you with his own soul. Please, understand us, son, that there was no way we would've predicted that…"

"You are wrong." Mordred suddenly stopped James with his cold voice. "All that you've said, all that stuff about love, need and couldn't expect- you are lying through your damn teeth, and you actually think that I'll believe you?"

"Son, I know that Arthur and Aries may've told you differently, but believe us, because…" Lily tried to stop him, but Mordred didn't allow her.

"They didn't need to tell me anything, because I remember everything." Mordred suddenly told them all with cold fury in his voice. "Did you think the ritual would knock my memory loose or something, or did you think that I would simply forget it all like a bad dream? No, I didn't forget, and I remember _every single thing_, in vivid detail. I remember that ritual very damn well and would like to know what it felt like? Imagine having your entire body being ripped apart, feeling like your blood is being poured out of your entire body, yet it is your magic being ripped out your being. I remember that pain very well." Mordred said with clear fury in his voice.

Alessandra listened to what Mordred had to say, and she couldn't help but want to just hug this child and tell him that it was alright now. She honestly couldn't imagine how the boy was still alive after that ritual, much less capable of using magic and sane. It must've been nothing less of a God's will, in her opinion. Yet, while she felt immense pity for the child, she couldn't help but be a little scared of Mordred, because he clearly wasn't a normal child.

No child, or most of the people she knew, didn't have the eyes like his and held such immense and strong hatred in them. She didn't even think that a child could even be capable of understanding what hatred for other beings was, but Mordred… He didn't just understand it, but actually channeled it. It was clear in his eyes that he wasn't just angry at Potters for what they did, no. Anger was not a right word to describe what she saw in him. Only hatred, pure and unquestionable, could suffice as a description to what Alessandra saw in Mordred's eyes.

He _hated _Potters, hated them more than either she or possibly even Aries and Arthur. When she recalled how they've subjected him to that ritual, left him with those Dursleys and tried to take him back like he was a toy… Mordred most certainly had every single reason to hate the Potters. Add to that he clearly remembered all that happened to him… Alessandra was forced to admit to herself that Mordred was _far _from a normal child, and possibly beyond being a child altogether, at least in terms of his mentality. He witnessed the worse aspects of humanity and lived to recall it all, stripped of innocence and blissful arrogance of children. He survived it all, and he grew up because of it far too soon than he should've.

Harry Potter was broken by the life, shattered by those that had exploited him. What was left of him was found by Arthur and Aries, and he was remade into Mordred Pendragon. It was clear to Alessandra that Mordred was most definitely not Harry Potter, for that child was as dead as it could get.

"But along that pain, I also remember you two and how you looked at me." Mordred continued. "And what did I see when I looked at your faces, while screaming out of agony? Sympathy? Suffering? Pity? Or perhaps love? No… I saw you two smiling at my pain. You didn't feel any disgust at what was happening- because you didn't love me."

"Harry…" Lily tried to interject, but Mordred didn't let her.

"I AM NOT HARRY POTTER! That boy died the moment you stole my magic and gave it to that mongrel of son of yours!" Mordred bellowed at them in pure rage, red aura emanating from him, making Alessandra take a step away from him. "You two… You speak of love, but what do you know about it, when you've never even loved me in the first place?! If you did, you would've raised me from the start, and not went off gallivanting on adventures against the Dark Lord!"

"People were in danger because of him, and someone had to stop him!" James tried to defend their position, but Mordred didn't buy it.

"And what of Arthur and Aries? They did more than both of you combined to stop Voldemort, and still had enough time to be a parents to not just his _three_ children, but also to me!" Mordred reminded them with rage in his voice. "No, you didn't give a damn because I wasn't important enough, and that is why you've decided to put me through that damn ritual. I even think that the ritual was supposed to kill me, not make me into a Mageborn."

"How dare you…" Lily made a look of insult, but Mordred didn't stop there.

"I DARE, BECAUSE THAT IS THE TRUTH!" Mordred's crimson energy was unleashed, as the marble near him and beneath him cracked in a wed of cracks. "You spoke of healers and how you though Petunia wouldn't hate me? I remember how you literally threw me at her doorsteps, _hours_ after you've mutilated me! I even remember how you, Lily, sneered at me after you rang the doorbell and gave me to that harpy. You two _knew _that she hated me the second she saw me, yet you didn't fucking care! Had you cared, had you loved me like you claimed, you would've gave me to the people that raised me, who loved me for real!"

"There is a reason we didn't, and if you understood…" James tried to speak, but a small bolt of Mordred's power that exploded near his legs stopped him from speaking.

"I didn't finish, and until I do, you two mongrels will keep quiet!" Mordred said to them with a voice laced with purest hatred. "If you think that what you already did was bad, then you know nothing about what followed. After you were done stealing from me and making me into a cripple, I had to endure those two and their son. To them, I wasn't even a human- I was a slave, a tool for their usage and pleasure, servicing them either by cooking, or as an outlet for their rage when needed. But that wasn't the worst, not even living in a cupboard wasn't the worst of all. No, the worst was feeling my blood was boiling and trying to spill out of me all the time, how I was burning and freezing all the time, because my magic was trying to get out of me. And not even in my dreams I was safe- Voldemort was _always there_, tormenting me and playing with me like I was his toy. And that continued for _two _years, that agony and torture. Had it not been for my parents, my _true _parents, I would've slit my own throat just to end it before long. And I have _you_ two to thank for it."

"You think that after all of that, after seeing what you really are, and after what you've put me through, I would _ever_ believe you? Never, because I know as sure as day that you are lying and only care about getting something for yourself out it all. Do you think that I will ever forgive you, that I will be so blind as to go back and love you?" Mordred asked of them. "No, because what I feel towards you is the opposite of love. What I feel towards you is a burning, destructive and merciless hatred, accompanied by an unyielding desire to see you suffer for what you've done to me, before killing you. And you know what is actually stopping me from doing it? It's the desire to be better than you, not lowering myself the same level as you and…" Mordred suddenly stopped, before he sniffed the air around him.

"Mordred? Why did you stop?" Alessandra asked of him.

"Oh you… They've got company." Mordred suddenly declared.

"What do you mean…" Alessandra didn't get to finish the sentence, before she was knocked out by a strong punch in the back of her head.

The next second, out of nowhere, appeared Remus Lupin and Sirius, who looked quite murderously towards Mordred. He understood that it was them by the fact of the smell of wet dog, a signature perfume of those two, from what he had heard from his mother. He seriously didn't expect them being here, but in hindsight he really should've been ready for that to happen. And now he was here, alone, with his only protector knocked out and surrounded by enemies. And all that Mordred felt was not fear, but even more hatred and rage, as his power was beginning to surge. He needed to make a break for it, and so he decided to use what he at his disposal.

Over the past year, he had studied under both Galahad and Grayfia in ways of controlling his Mana Burst, as well as in Nephilims' ways of magic. Given the fact of his mixed heritage, Mordred held Nephilim blood in him, and from what he learned from his father, it was a part of the reason why his Mana Burst was so strong, and why his magical energy was on a different level from the others. Thanks to that, Mordred could potentially learn how to use magic directly, without spells as a conduit, like Nephilims do so. It also helped strengthen his Mana Burst and its power, as well as the control that Mordred had. And because of that, he was now capable of not just repeating what he did a year ago, but put far more power behind it.

With a roar, Mordred unleashed all the stored up energy within him, sending the Marauders and Olympe Maxime nearly flying away. The shockwave was enough to send them all flying and smashing the walls, along with blowing away the windows and ruining the office in general. Once he was done with it and seeing an opening, Mordred rushed to Alessandra, trying to get her back into the fight. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't able to do so, as his face soon struck by a cutting spell, carving up his flesh on the left side of his head, opening a large wound from his chin to brow.

Mordred hissed out of pain, before he was knocked to the ground by a stunner, sending him to the opposite wall. Once he hit it, he grunted from pain, before looking up and seeing upwards, looking at the gathered Marauders. Sirius was the first to speak up.

"Did you really think we'll not be ready for that little trick of yours, huh? You stupid damn brat!" Sirius shouted at him, before punching Mordred into the gut, making him double and spit blood. "Hurts, doesn't it? Well, that's just the start, because you are going to pay for stealing everything from me!" He kicked him again, hoping that the boy would cry.

"Y-you kick like a crippled paralytic g-girl." Mordred responded with a glare.

"Why you…" Sirius brought up his wand and prepared to attack him again, before he was stopped by Remus.

"Enough, Sirius! You've done enough already, and you've nearly killed him with that spell! Don't forget why we are here and let's get it done. James, Lily, just get it done already and let's get out of here." Remus reminded them.

"Right, thanks for the reminder, Moony." James said to him, before pointing his wand towards Mordred. "We honestly had hoped that you would listen to us, Harry, but it looks like you are just as stubborn as Arthur, and just as spiteful as his whore of wife. But don't worry, once we are through with you, you'll be a good little boy that we need and everything will be as it should be…"

"You cast a single spell on that boy, and none of you will be getting out of here alive." A new voice spoke up, forcing them to turn to the windows.

Right near the shattered windows stood a tall woman, dressed in black and red, with long black hair, and blood red eyes. Her attire consisted of a red and black short kimono, with a black skirt and long black leggings and red gauntlets on her arms. On her hip, rested an elongated Japanese style sword, with her left hand resting upon the handle. Olympe Maxime looked with confusion at who she was, while the Marauders knew full well just who this woman was.

"Raven Branwen, look what the bird dragged in." James sneered at the woman. "What are you doing in here?"

"Settling a debt I owe to this kid's father." With that said, Raven moved her left hand from the hilt to the sheath, using her thumb to move the sword out a little.

"Maxime, take her out, now!" James commanded to Olympe Maxime, with the Headmistress suddenly obeying the order and pulling out her wand.

However, though the reaction of the Headmistress was quite good, it was nothing when compared to the newcomer. Raven's sword left her sheath at such speed, that none could see it move, as it cut in two the wand, before Raven moved it away and sprang into action, as she dashed towards the half-giantess. In a single jump, she reached the clearly Imperioused Headmistress, before striking her with the hilt of her sword, knocking her out in one go. Once she was out for the count, Raven decided to deal with the rest of the invaders.

First on her list was Lily, towards whom Raven dashed with same impossible speed as towards Olympe earlier. The red-haired woman definitely had beauty, but no brawn or endurance, as Raven's left hook in her face immediately knocked not just a few of her teeth out, but also the woman herself, sending her towards the wall. James got a spell out of his wand the moment he saw his wife being hit, but Raven somehow managed to catch that same spell with her hand and send it back to James, resulting in him having his entire left arm turned into dust because of the curse. A quick kick in the jaw took him out, before Remus tried to fire a Killing curse at Raven, but missed, leading to Raven swinging her sword at the werewolf. A long cut across his torso was added with that swing, leading to the man falling on his face and bleeding out.

Only Sirius remained standing, though he was moving away from Raven, knowing that he was now next. And Raven wasn't going to let the man get away with what he did with Mordred, not out of sense of pity for the child, but because she had specific orders from his father, and Raven _never_ deviated from her instructions, at least those that were to her liking. In a single second, she flashed right in front of Sirius, and with her sword she carved him up like a pig, severing his tendons in his legs and arms, forcing him to fall on his knees.

"P-please, have mercy…" Sirius tried to plead, but it fell upon the deaf ears.

"No." And with the final swing of her sword, Raven cut off Sirius' head, ending his miserable and pathetic existence.

Once she was done with the invaders, she turned her attention to the boy, who was bleeding profoundly from his wound on the head and coughing out even more of it. Raven moved to him and sat near him, putting her hands on his chest and head.

"Hold still, and I'll make it better." She instructed him, before she began to concentrate and use her own magical energy to heal Mordred's wounds.

Within a minute, Mordred's wound healed up, leaving only a large scar in its place, while his chest no longer hurt and he could breathe freely. Once it was done, Raven got up on her feet and let Mordred do the same.

"How… How were you able to move so fast and strike with such strength?" Was the first that Mordred asked of Raven, who looked at him with the slightest hint of surprise.

"That's the first thing you have to say? Not even a thank you?" Raven asked back with a chuckle. "Aries wasn't kidding when she said you are one of kind kid. A for how, that is something that I learned to do, and what Wizards and Witches of old used to learn as well, before abandoning this knowledge. Now it is referred to as The Old Way, the way of war, battle and using your magic to defeat your enemies."

"Can one learn The Old Way today?" Was the next thing that Mordred asked of Raven.

"One can, if he finds the right teacher. Now, let's get your friend up and running…" Raven was about to move to Alessandra, before stopping in her tracks.

The door into the office began to freeze from the inside, literally, before shattering like ice on the river. Once it was gone, a group of soldiers and Aurors rushed inside, rifles and wands on the ready and surrounding Raven with Mordred. Raven simply looked bored at them and didn't react on their demands to get her hands up in the air, while Mordred was simply looking with interest at the result of Raven dispatching of Marauders and Madam Maxime.

"You and your Jaegers are a bit late for the party, Esdeath." Was all that Raven said, as the Wizards and soldiers lowered their weapons, before letting their leader step forward.

It was a tall, beautiful looking woman, with long blue hair and same blue eyes, dressed in a military style uniform and carrying a sabre on her hip. She projected an aura of power and intimidation, as well as respect and dignity, though she didn't faze Raven in the slightest. She looked with intent at Raven, before moving her eyes towards Mordred, who didn't show a sign of fear before her. Once she was that he was largely alright, she spoke up to Raven.

"Raven, took you long enough to get inside. What was the hold up?" Esdeath demanded to know.

"The windows were charmed, so I couldn't get them opened up or broken. If not for the boy's outburst, I would have to take the stairs instead." Raven reported to Esdeath. "I've taken care of his injuries, but I'm not taking care of them." She pointed towards everyone else.

"We'll deal with that. Get these restrained out of here, stabilize the werewolf and cage him, get a medic on this girl, and I want this trash cleaned up! Double time!" Esdeath commanded to her people, and they began to move, before turning to Mordred. "My apologies for our delay, Mordred. Your parents are on their way as we speak, and should take you and your siblings out of here in a few minutes."

"Thank you, General. I think I've had enough of the school for my liking." Mordred simply said to them all.

* * *

**Later, the same day. Château de Pendragon. Lord Pendragon's personal study**

"Are you saying that Dumbledore is disavowing the actions of Potters and their friends?" Aries asked of Robert. "That man has placed his most loyal students right near our children with a blatant intent of keeping his eyes on Mordred, and now he is playing bashful ignorance?"

"I didn't believe it myself for the moment, Aries, but after my interrogators had cracked Lupin, he revealed to us that this whole affair was the Potters' affair." Robert told them all. "Apparently, the plan was for the Marauders to get into Beauxbatons, tried to convince Mordred to work with them, and if it failed, use _Imperious _on him and then get him to do their bidding. I've had him repeat it all under Veritaserum and a Truth Telling Charm, and he confirmed everything. This time, all we can blame Dumbledore is scheming his way into Beauxbatons, and not what happened today."

"True, such directness and crude way of handling things isn't the style of Dumbledore. No, that is something James and his friends would do. They are good when it comes to doing the dirty work, but poor in the planning department." Arthur commented. "Still, such a blatant assault on our son… I've underestimated him."

"I'd say that you were merciful towards him for some reason, Arthur." Juno commented with anger in her voice. "In the past, just for that damned ritual, Pendragons and its successor Houses would hunt down those that crossed the line. And James crossed it twice now, since Sirius had somehow regained his magic again. Not only that, but he also dared to attack our family in such direct fashion like this. There is only one response that is warranted, and you must issue it. Forget that he is of our blood and that you two grew up together, this must be dealt with immediately!" All of the present in the room knew what Juno meant, as Arthur sighed.

"Grayfia, send summons for all Heads of successor Houses to arrive into the Chateau tomorrow. Inform them that Lord Pendragon has a declaration to make and _all _Heads are required to be here, with no exception." Arthur ordered to Grayfia, who bowed in response.

"It shall be done, Lord Pendragon." Grayfia responded. "And what of Madam Maxime and Potters? I suspect that British government will wish to have their heroes back."

"They've already demanded that we extradite the Potters back to Britain, and, unfortunately, Eduard was forced to cave in to the demand. The new Supreme Mugwump wishes to heal relations between England and France, so he had persuaded Eduard to settle in on having Remus Lupin judged and tried as the instigator of this entire affair." Robert let out an irritated sigh. "Both Potters had pointed towards him as the man behind that plan, though I highly doubt it, but it was enough for ICW, so we were forced to settle on that miserable werewolf instead of Potters. As for Madam Maxime, she was clearly under _Imperious_ Curse, and once it was determined that it was Lupin's wand that casted the curse, she was allowed to go. However, we did manage to get something out of her in return not prowling into her affairs, and that's to have a full company of Aurors stationed in Beauxbatons at full time, so as to prevent anything like that happening again. Needless to say, that these Aurors will also watch Maxime and our newcomers from Britain with a microscopic precision. I'll personally select the best of my outfit for this job, and with them there, it will safe for Mordred and our children to return back into Beauxbatons."

"Mordred… He doesn't want to go back there." Aries suddenly stated to them all. "After what had happened, and seeing how there are Dumbledore's spies, he said that he will be a fool to go back there, especially since Headmistress is Dumbledore's puppet. And he didn't sound afraid of them, not at all. He sounded… hateful instead." Aries revealed to all of them.

"We all have suspected that the poor boy may've never moved past what had happened, and after what we heard from our guest here… I guess we will have to address this as well." Apolline said with a sad sigh. "Mordred clearly needs help, professional help, and as soon as possible, given the fact of all that had happened with him."

"The kid doesn't need a psych or whoever you want to send him to." Raven suddenly spoke up, getting the attention of everyone. "You don't get it: he is already broken and there is no way you are changing that. You won't get an innocent, happy-go-lucky child out of him, because he saw what people did to him, and he remembers it all. There is no fixing it, only learning to live with it and using it to make yourself stronger."

"Are you saying that he will want to amass as much power as possible, like some Dark Lord?" Apolline asked of Raven, who simply sighed and responded.

"No, what I am saying is that the kid feels vulnerable and powerless, and he can't stand it. He always was like that, and he had been used like a tool and exploited. Now he wants not just be able to protect himself, but also those that matter, as well as to deal with those that hurt him the most. And to do that, he needs power, strength and victory." Raven stated to them. "I've observed him during his meeting with Potters, and I can tell you that he won't change. You know what was the first thing he asked me? He asked me: how did I get this powerful. And after that he asked if someone could teach him The Old Way."

"The Old Way?" Aries asked out loud.

"In times of old, before the establishment of Ministries and Statute of Secrecy, Wizards and Witches practiced in a radically different way of using magic, one that was purposefully directed towards battling, and not through wands." Grayfia spoke up. "Wizards and Witches would wield swords, axes, spears and whatever weapon they were best with, done enchanted armors and rush into battles, becoming a force of nature in them. Magic served to strengthen them to the point of surpassing even superhuman standards, with some even surpassing in power the likes of Nephilims in sheer strength and might. House Pendragon has plenty of individuals that had practiced it, with Mordred the Avenger and Galahad being the most famous of them. Sadly, such practices have fallen out of favor after the Statute of Secrecy, with only select few individuals knowing those ways in these times, like Lady Branwen."

"So Mordred wants to learn The Old Way, instead of the modern way? How would it benefit him in our modern society, learning an archaic way of using magic?" Apolline asked.

"Don't dismiss The Old Way so quickly, Lady Delacour. Practitioners of The Old Way rarely rely on wands for magic, as they learn wandless magic instead, and only use a wand as a supplement in case of need. Besides that, The Old Way may be outdated and out of favor, but only because of its extreme physical, mental and magical demands on the practitioner. You aren't training a Wizard with The Old Way, you are training a living weapon with The Old Way." Grayfia explained to her. "The Great Magical War was the greatest conflict of Wizards and Witches that were trained in the traditional style, and those battles were sights of biblical clashes. Currently, I know of mere few who could stand up to the Wizards and Witches of those times from our modern, more civilized era, and none that could defeat one."

"And do you think that Mordred can learn it? That he has the attitude and capability for it, Grayfia?" Arthur asked of her.

"With full honesty, I can say that The Old Way can bring out not just the best of Mordred, but also unleash his fullest power and potential. Given his Mana Burst ability and his Nephilim heritage, young Mordred has enough to master The Old Way, and to flourish with it as possibly one of the strongest Mages of Pendragons, rivaling the likes of Lord Gawain II the Defender and maybe even Lord Mordred the Avenger." Grayfia confessed. "He already has a basic understanding of wandless magic, due to our training sessions, and he has an aptitude for it. I strongly recommend that Mordred learns The Old Way of Magic." Arthur and the others have listened to Grayfia, and Lord Pendragon turned to Raven.

"Raven, given the fact that you've already impressed my son, and that you are the best Old Way master I know of, how would you like to train my son in it?" Arthur asked of her, surprising the hardened woman.

"Arthur, you can't be serious…" Aries tried to argue, but he spoke back.

"We all know what Mordred is facing and what he will have to face in the future. Neither Dumbledore or his cronies will stop, and let's not forget Voldemort. Mordred will need to be ready for them, and The Old Way trains people for such things." Arthur argued back. "And if anything, we can always fill in the blanks in his education here, at home. Plus, it's not like we are taking him away from his family and friends. We'll give him what he needs, but we won't try to make him into what he isn't. We've tried to give him a simple childhood, but he isn't a child, not after what had happened with him."

"I am not in a business of being a babysitter." Raven spoke up to Arthur. "And my tribe needs me, especially since I've given Potters a bloody nose. Until now, Ministry has just been content on ignoring us, but now they'll once again have us persecuted. So it's not even a matter of how much you can pay me."

"Then it's a matter of whether or not I can get your tribe settled in France and integrated into the magical society." Arthur declared, intriguing Raven. "Your tribe, much like you, are the followers of The Old Way, meaning they are ruthlessly efficient in battles. France happens to have a unit that can benefit from said efficiency and immense power, while you now need to find a new home. A match made in heaven, one could say."

"And you would be able to persuade your government to accept generally despised malcontents that want little to nothing to do with the modern governments, and will even have my people enrolled into Jaegers? All so that I could train your son?" Raven asked of Arthur, as if daring him.

"Do we have a deal?" Was all that he asked, offering her his hand.

"Fine, you've got yourself a deal. But I don't want _any _interference from either you or your wife, or anyone from your family in the training. I'll train the kid the same way I learned The Old Way, and if he can't handle it, he can quit and run to his mommy." Raven stated to Arthur.

"You'll be surprised at the perseverance my son's got, and determination in getting what he wants." Arthur simply said to Raven, who smiled to him.

"Good, then that means that he will understand The Way." Raven said to him. "Now, when do we start?"

* * *

**Phew, sorry for the wait, but I hope that this chapter will be a better apology than anything I can tell you. So, as you can see Mordred won't be getting a traditional education after all. Instead, he will learn The Old Way, and if any of you are curious what that means, let me explain it briefly and basically. In purest basics, Mordred will become a nigh unstoppable force of magical might and power. If you've seen Fate Series Saber Arturia and Mordred, then that's what he will be all about, along with learning how to control magic without wands or spells of any kind. **

**And for those who are curious why don't magicals learn it instead of traditional education, here is the reason: it is freaking hard, oriented specifically to combat and kill other mages of same Way, and requires training from the age before 10 to fully learn it. Plus, after Statute and Ministries were established, The Old Way was seen as a reminder of turbulent and violent past that was best forgotten. Magicals of modern times are quite the weaklings against The Old Way Magicals, especially in physical attributes and sheer strength.**

**Anyway, I believe that is enough for now, and I wish you all good health and good luck in these trying times.**

**Edit: A minor update that fixes a couple of mistakes. Oh, and the chapter has a nod to a certain TV series that came out in the end last year. Those that guess it right know the way ;)**

**Next time: House Pendragon Assembles; Cutting a deal; A threat from ages past…**

**See ya next week!**


	11. Chapter 11

**France. Maximum security prison for magical creatures. September 2****nd**

The floo portal flared up at the entrance of the prison, before the flames died away in the next second, letting Arthur Pendragon out, accompanied by his wife Aries. Once the two got to their place of destination, they were immediately stopped at the checkpoint by the guards, with two out of six stepping close to them.

"Lord Pendragon, Lady Pendragon, we have been informed of your arrival. Now, please show us your wands and provide a drop of your blood so as to verify your identities." One of the guards spoke up, showing the way to the verification point.

"Is this all really that necessary?" Aries asked of them.

"This is the standard protocol for all who come to visit prisoners here, milady. Without the prior appointment, approved by the warden and Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement, you would be detained the second you've stepped out of the portal." The guard explained, opening the door to the office, where they were greeted by two more guards, both of whom were Nephilims. "Now, please hand your wands for the verification." Aries and Arthur did that, handing them to an older looking Nephilim, who quickly examined them.

"Yew, dragon heartstring, 12,1 inches, produced in England by Master Ollivander, sold to Arthur Galahad Pendragon. Matches the data from the official archives and wand's current owner is Arthur Galahad Pendragon." The Nephilim handed the wand back to Arthur. "Hm, firwood, chimera's hair, 14 inches, produced in France by Mistress Belial, sold to Aries Cecilia Pendragon. Matches the data from the official archives and wand's current owner is Aries Cecilia Pendragon. The wands are genuine and clear."

"Very well, now please provide us a drop of your blood on this paper, to finalize the verification." The guard produce two pieces of paper, along with a needle, which he used to prick fingers of Arthur and Aries.

Once their bloods hit the papers, the magical enchantment on the papers did its work, revealing the identity of those that proved the blood. Such parchment was linked up to the archives in Ministry of Magic, where a full record of all wizards and witches was stored, including their blood samples which could be used to verify the identity of a person, if a need arose. This parchment was a part of a reform that was implemented after the Second World War in the Magical France, intended to catalogue all magical users in France. The reform was intended as a measure to increase security of the general populace, as well as to have a solid number on the magical population. While many in the past had regarded this reform to be fascist in nature, it was still implemented and so far it had proved its value, especially with the DMLE and Aurors in tracking down criminals.

Once the test was over and their identities confirmed, the guard nodded to Arthur and Aries, leading them out of the station and back to the checkpoint. When there, Arthur and Aries were forced to once again had over their wands for the time of their visit, as a part of the prison's standard procedure when visiting imprisoned. Along with that, they also were given two special leather bracelets, which would block any and all magic, also as a part of the standard procedure. The two didn't complain and simply put them on, before finally heading deeper into the prison, to meet someone whom they didn't want to see, but who could hold important information for them.

It was a surprise for both of them to hear from Esdeath that Remus Lupin had requested a meeting with Arthur Pendragon, strongly implying that he has very important information, valuable enough so as to warrant meeting and even gratitude from Lord Pendragon. After what had happened with their son, neither Arthur or his wife were looking to feel gratified or forgiving towards Remus Lupin, but the man was close with James and Lily, as well as a member of the Order, so he could potentially hold vital knowledge about Potters' plans and Dumbledore's schemes in the long run. As much as they may've despised the self-pitying werewolf, they couldn't simply overlook such a promising opportunity at their now close vicinity, especially in light of Lord Pendragon summoning all Heads of Successor Houses.

All Lords of Successor House have received the call and answered it, promising to arrive at the dusk in Château de Pendragon, all of them well aware of the situation at hand and everyone was expecting only one thing from Arthur. That thing being an open declaration of war against House Potter, not a simple blood feud that could be settled by either a duel or two between the wizards or via marriage, but a literal war between Pendragon line and Potter line. This meant that House Pendragon and all holders of Pendragon bloodline will seek an absolute and complete destruction and death of every and all members of House Potter, born, adopted and married into it.

If before Arthur has been content to simply leave Potters to their own devices after all that had happened, then now he will pursue their destruction, and neither ICW or Ministries will be able to do much about it. Since the ancient times, such conflicts were resolved by the Houses themselves only interfered if one of the sides asked for a mediator to put an end to the bloodshed. And in this upcoming conflict, it was clear that there won't be any mediation of the conflict. Both Arthur and Aries had suspected that Dumbledore and Ministry of Magic in Britain will try to interfere, and it was highly probably that members of the Order will try and assist Potters in this conflict. If that were to happen, then they and their Houses will be also considered enemies and will also become targets for destruction, until they either offer complete capitulation or cease their existence.

Back in the past, there were many instances when House Pendragon and their Successor House have found themselves in war against those that have crossed them. Such wars and battles were always bloody and brutal, costing lives of not just Pendragons, but also many powerful families of the past that dared to attack House Pendragon. The count of those that have fallen to the magic and swords of Mordred the Crimson alone, one of the deadliest and powerful wizards in Pendragons' history, is close to a hundred by some accounts, and close to several hundred by other.

While Arthur himself wasn't one to back away from the fight and was prepared to fight a war if need was there, but even after all that had happened, he wasn't still fully prepared to attack a person who was in essence his younger brother. While many among the Pendragon bloodline may see this as weakness and disloyalty to the House itself, those that know Arthur well will understand that the man wasn't going to become a kinslayer and kill the only son of his adopted mother. If not for the James' sake, then at least for the sake of Euphemia and her memory Arthur wasn't going to put to the sword the family that had raised him and made him who he was. And yet, he understood that whether he resisted or not, he had to declare war, or war will be declared without his approval. And that would mean weakening of House Pendragon's status, something that Arthur as it's lord couldn't see happen. He needed to make war, or to find an alternative that could satisfy Pendragon bloodline and would see Potters pay, and Arthur with Aries hoped that Remus may have something that will help them achieve this objective.

It took them some time until they've reached the interrogation room, guarded by 4 Nephilims, before the guard stopped them, pulling out the radio and activating it.

"Meeting room 6, open door." The locks in the door clicked, while the guard turned to them. "You have 15 minutes, and know that while we have disabled listening there, our cameras monitor everything there. If we see something suspicious, these guards will storm inside to subdue the prisoner and have him hauled out of the room. After that, not even an order from Head of DMLE will let you get to him. So, if I were you, I would get this done as soon as possible and leave. I'll wait outside."

"Thank you, officer. We understand that this is a highly unusual situation, and I assure you that all that happens will be…" Arthur wasn't allowed to finish his sentence, when the guard interrupted him.

"The clock is ticking, Commander, and this isn't the first time when I work with Black Ops division, sir." The guard simply stated to Arthur, using his former rank in the Jaegers and DMLE, surprising Lord Pendragon. "Falling Leafs", sir."

"Understood, Lieutenant." Arthur nodded to him, with Aries deciding not to ask about it.

Instead, she and Arthur opened the door into the room and went inside. A stereotypical room, grey and steely in colors, with Remus Lupin sitting in front of the table and two additional seats, strapped to his seat and restrained by both chains and magic. He didn't look quite different from his usual self, save for a few bruises and paleness, evidences of a recent serious blood loss. Arthur and Aries exchanged the looks, deciding not to take seats and simply get what they had come for. Remus looked up to see Arthur and Aries, before speaking up.

"Ah, Arthur, I wasn't exactly expecting that you would actually come, much less bring your sweet Lady along." Remus stated to him, trying to get a little bit more comfortable in his seat. "I assume that you are interested in hearing what I have to tell you, because otherwise why would you be here."

"For once, you assume correctly, Remus." Arthur remarked without much emotion in his voice.

"Well, since this is the case, then I must say that my information doesn't come cheap or for free. I believe it is understandable that I have a few certain conditions that I would like accommodated before I share what I know." Remus stated to them with some smugness in his voice, making Aries arch up her brow up. "First, I would like to have the charges that have been placed upon me dropped and granted freedom. Second, I am well aware that our dear Aries here has made a great progress in creating a cure from lycanthropy. I want to be cured from it, once and for all. Third, I would like a monetary compensation for my cooperation, in addition to your assurance that Potters will not get to me after rat them out."

"And does it not bother you, selling out your friends, the very people that have stood up for you and were with you through your worst?" Aries suddenly asked of Remus. "It was always my understanding that James and Sirius were your only friends and that they've helped you deal with your problem better. Don't you feel even the slightest pang of remorse at your actions?"

"I'm well aware of the fact that James and Lily have already sold me to cover their hides, and that Dumbledore has already discarded me as a waste of time and resources. Not to mention that Sirius also dead, thanks to your friend, so I know that my prospects are grim at best, and that sticking up for those two would be foolish." Remus explained to them. "I'm not all that loyal to those that betray one of their own, and since they've betrayed me, I see little reason to being loyal to them."

"How pragmatic, and also hypocritical." Aries commented, confusing Remus. "Betray one of their own? You are only selling them out because they've already done so, and the only thing you want now is to save your skin and get something out of the situation you are in."

"Quite so, and I am certain that you will provide me with the means to it. Won't you, Arthur?" Arthur was beginning to tire of this smugness that was reminding him of Marauders' days in Hogwarts.

"And what makes you so sure that I'll provide you with all of that?" Arthur asked of him, surprising Remus.

"Because I know what you want to know and…"

"Why do you think that I will want to comply with your conditions, when I can order the guards to have you dosed up with Veritaserum, or simply pry whatever you have in your mind from there with Legilimency?" Arthur asked him with a more menacing tone, before moving closer to Remus and continuing. "You and your friends have hurt my son, left him with a scar that won't fade away and the two people that are most responsible for all that had happened to him are still at large. I have been _inhumanly_ patient with all of you, but my patience has run out, so here is how we will do this: you will tell me _everything _you know, or I will call Exorcists from Rome and have them rip open your mind and soul. And once that happens, you will spill everything you have, while _begging _for life."

"You are bluffing. You've never been one for cruelty and torturing, it never was your style." It was clear that Remus was starting to become nervous, while Arthur was remaining as threatening as he was. "I-I'm not asking for m-much, Arthur. Y-you already have more t-then enough money a-and…"

"This is not about money, Remus, but me going against my desire to have you skinned alive for hurting Mordred. So, either talk, or I'll have you talk." Arthur told him, with Remus deciding to believe Arthur. "You have ten minutes. Make them worth it."

"Alright, alright, you win." Remus gave up, calming down a little bit, before starting to talk. "I don't know why Dumbledore is so obsessed with your son, but he is just as determined to get him as Potters. I only know that he seems to share some deal of his secrets and plans with Snape, for whatever reason, and that he trusts him to carry out his less stellar tasks, like… Like telling the Dark Lord about the Prophecy."

"Snape told him about the Prophecy? Wasn't it Peter who told him about it?" Aries demanded to know.

"Peter was a snitch, one that we all knew about, and Dumbledore used him, as an unwilling doable agent." Remus told them, with Arthur letting out an angered sigh, while clenching his left hand in a fist. "Peter was giving false information to Voldemort, while Severus was the one who told Voldemort about the Prophecy and where to find Euphemia with children."

"Did James know about it all?" Arthur asked of him.

"Yes, he did, as he was the one who disabled all the wards and barriers for Voldemort." Remus revealed to Arthur, much to his and Aries' shock. "He was hoping that the Dark Lord would kill everyone, or at least Euphemia and Harry. At least that's what I think he wanted."

"Why?" Arthur's draconian blood was starting to show itself. "Why did James wish to have his mother and Harry dead?"

"Because that would enable him to inherit the Lordship of House Potter." Remus confessed to them, shocking them all. "A year ago, James revealed to us that Fleamont had made a last will, in which he had named Harry his direct successor, with either Euphemia or, in case of her death, you as his Regent until he reaches the proper age. The plan had failed and Harry survived, so James and Lily had used that ritual to have him made a Squib, and that allowed James to obtain the Lordship, at least for a time. Now that Mordred is healed and has magic, he effectively rid James of Lordship and all the money in the vaults of Potters and Peverells, and he wants it back."

"If what you are saying is true, then that means that James had committed…" Aries was trying to process what she had heard from Remus, before looking towards her husband and widening her eyes.

A fiery red aura was engulfing Arthur Pendragon, as he was literally shaking from rage and fury he was feeling inside of him. Never in his life had he felt such anger and hatred towards one being as he did at this moment. James Potter, his named younger brother, the man with whom he grew up together, had _murdered _Euphemia, through the hands of Voldemort. The woman that had given him love and cared for him as if he was her own, died because of greed and vanity of his younger brother. And that same man has had the gall to claim that he had always stood up for family… This man had taken away from him both his mother and his son, and Arthur had _allowed _him to live!

The magic inside Arthur had bottled up, as the aura started to become a physical manifestation of anger. With a roar, he directed his fury into a single object that deserved it, relieving himself of some of it, as his magic burst out of him in a form of crimson flames, flying towards Remus. He didn't even have time to scream, as the flames didn't just incinerate his body, but literally vaporized him, as the flames' intensity and power was more than powerful enough to leave nothing of him. Only at that moment did the crimson veil of rage had fallen off Arthur's eyes and realized what he had done.

A second later, the full complement of guards had gone inside the room and got a look at what had happened. The confusion was momentary, as the Lieutenant commanded his guards to stand down, while he went to Arthur and Aries.

"I don't have any idea why you've done it, Sir, but after what had happened with your son… I guess you've had more than enough reason to do it." Lieutenant told him with a sigh. "General Esdeath did warn that this might happen… We'll tell that he was trying to escape and you've put a stop to his plans. I can vouch that my men will say so."

"Are you really prepared to lie to your command, Lieutenant?" Arthur asked of him with a serious tone.

"Given the severity of his crimes, plus the fact that you are still a Commander of Jaegers, Sir, I believe that gives you a certain leeway when it comes to scum like him." Lieutenant informed Arthur. "Besides, I doubt that Minister will be greatly sadden at what you did. Now, since you are done, would you please vacate the room, so that we may clean it up." Arthur and Aries did just that, moving out of the room and towards the checkpoint.

"Arthur…" Aries had tried to comfort her husband, but it was to no avail.

"You've heard him, Ari." Arthur's voice was dead serious and unnaturally grim. "James… I've let you live even after you've committed the worst of crimes, but for Euphemia… I'll have you damn head, even if I have to rip it off your body myself!"

Aries knew full well that her husband was utterly serious in his determination of getting James' head, and as much as she had wanted to support him, she had to keep a cool head and rationalize the situation. The information that was given by Remus Lupin was more than enough of reason to destroy House Potter once and for all, but it could also destroy her husband's soul. She knew that Arthur was enraged right now, more than enough to have unlocked his own Mana Burst ability, and she also knew that once he calmed down, probably after death of James, he will regret doing what he did. If there was one thing that Arthur hated the most was kinslaying, and the thought of Arthur becoming one… Aries wasn't going to let that happen, especially if it meant that her son was going to be denied what was rightfully his.

She already had a plan formed in her mind, and all she needed now was to make Pendragons agree with it. Thankfully, as Lady of House Pendragon, she had a say in policies of her House, and will be granted a right to voice her own opinion. She wasn't going to let the Potters get away with what they had done, but she won't see them dead, at least not at her husband's hand.

Either way, Potters will pay for their crimes, and Aries Pendragon shall see to it.

* * *

**September 3****rd****. Potter Manor.**

James took a swig from his whiskey, chugging the entire glass in one go, as he angrily thought about what was happening with him and his House. While his arm had been quickly and expertly regrown, it didn't change the fact that he and Lily were facing serious trouble in face of not just Pendragons, but also ICW and even some of the workers of Ministry. Particularly, Amelia Bones seems to have had enough of Potters' scheming and interfering with the matters of another country, as she had paid him and Lily a visit yesterday. She stated with her complete directness, that if Potters ever were to set foot anywhere near Mordred again, they could expect her to arrest them on the suspicion of kidnapping or terrorism. ICW had also authorized Amelia to do so, if Potters were to cross a line again and endanger anyone inside or outside of Great Britain.

While Cornelius and Dumbledore had managed to ease the tensions a little bit and prevent having Potters placed under surveillance, it was still a severe strike upon their reputation and pride. While the masses of Wizards and Witches were still on the side of Potters, Noble Houses, both Light and Dark, have started to try to distance themselves from Potters, following their first failed attempt to retake Harry. Over the year the number of Potters allies had decreased, with such Houses like McLaggen, Bones, Jones and several others severing all official ties with them.

The most hurtful was the betrayal of House Longbottom, with Frank and Alice deciding not to pursue the agenda of the Order and Potters, lest they bring upon themselves the wrath of Arthur Pendragon. James was absolutely livid with the betrayal of whom he had considered to be his and Lily's closest friends, after the Marauders, along with their direct refusal to even continue the centuries long alliance between their houses. Frank had tried to stop James and Lily from further escalation of their conflict with Pendragons and to give up on getting Harry back, at least for a time, but James and Lily were undeterred.

Even if there was plenty of time until the brat reached the appropriate age for inheriting the Lordship of House Potter, James couldn't risk Arthur and Aries finding out through someone of the fact that it was Harry that was the real Lord Potter, with Arthur being the Regent of all things to him. He even suspected that there were plenty of those in the Order who would gladly sell him and Lily out, just to profit or put his family in its place so to speak. Even those Weasleys were most certainly capable of such action, especially if it meant that they could get a fair share of galleons from selling that information to Pendragons.

Molly may've despised and hated the so called Dark family of Pendragons and their leaders, but the woman's greed and ambitions outweighed her fickle principles and morals, and that meant that she was more than a little willing to sell the Potters if it meant she were to get rich. After all, that was the same reason why she was so actively trying to have her only daughter engaged to Jamie, hoping that it would open her the path to Potters coffers. The foolish harpy didn't even realize the fact that Potters had long figured out what was her plan and they never intended to have it succeed.

If their son, The Boy-Who-Lived, was going to marry someone, it was going to be someone from the powerful Noble House, one with great influence and money to back it up. Someone like House Greengrass with their two daughters as the only Heiresses, or House Delacour of France, who also seemed to have a trouble of having a male heir. Despite the latter being a close ally and a successor House to Pendragon bloodline, James was quite confident that they would be more than happy to unite their bloodline with his, at least that's what he believed in after having drunk a few shots of whiskey already.

Either way, he and Lily couldn't allow for Harry to grow up and rob them of everything that was theirs by right, so he and Marauders have decided that it would be a good idea to "fix" Harry, so as to have him completely subservient to them. A plan was brilliant, in James' opinion, and it was a sure thing to work, but how could he or anyone had accounted for Alessandra d'Estrella being present there with Harry, and Arthur actually having hired Raven Branwen of all people to watch over Harry. James and the Order had encountered that woman and her barbaric tribe during the Wizarding War. They had been hired as mercenaries by Order to carry out more gruesome and clandestine actions, such as extermination of Werewolf packs, or assassinations of important Death Eaters and those that were against Order and Dumbledore.

The Branwen tribe and Raven in particular had proven to be extremely effective in performing the assigned tasks and missions. Though archaic and barbaric in their beliefs and traditions, they were an effective instrument in the hands of Order, one that was supposed to be disposed of after all was done. Dumbledore had planned to actually exterminate the tribe soon after the war, having already created false evidences of them being supporters of Voldemort.

Unfortunately, Raven had caught wind of that plan and had disappeared with her entire tribe, covering the tracks of their involvement well. James suspected that Arthur had helped her out in this one, with his theory being proven right when she saved Harry in Beauxbatons. Until now, the Ministry and Wizengamot were more than content to simply leave these isolationist luddites to their own devices, but after what had happened, James and Dumbledore were sure to put through the proposal of having the Branwen tribe either imprisoned, or exterminated if they were to resist the arrest. And James was going to make sure that they resisted, especially after Raven had killed Sirius and forced James and Lily to sell Remus out to get away unscathed.

Personally, while it was a bad thing to do, James didn't feel all that guilty about abandoning Remus, as he had long outlived his value as a friend and ally in James' eyes. The pitiful Werewolf wasn't exactly the company that the Lord Potter was supposed to keep, and he didn't contribute anything to him and his family, other than being a waste of space and money, when Remus needed some. The French Ministry and Pendragons could have him, but they were surely unsuccessful to learn anything from him, as Remus actually valued his relations with Marauders and considered them his family and pack. And a wolf never betrays his pack, as James thought about with laughter, while taking another sip of his drink. Right when he did so, one of his House Elves appeared before him, speaking up.

"Milord, you and Lady Potter have a guest." The Elf reported to him, catching James by surprise.

"Yeah, and who is it? Another one of them admirers who came to see our son? Well, you can tell them that they can't since he is visiting Hogwarts today with Dumbledore." James simply stated, taking one more sip of his whiskey.

"It is not one of them, milord. It is the foul Black Lady, Aries." Now James was shocked to hear that Lady Pendragon herself had somehow made her way here of all places. "She has come and demands that you and Lady Potter meet her. She stated that if you fail to do so, she will make it your last mistake in life."

"She must be even crazier than her sister Bellatrix if she thinks that we'll grant her anything, other than a solid kick on her butt to get her moving out of here." James chuckled. "Go and tell that wench that the only condition I am willing to even see her is if she brings me and Lily our son."

"I'm afraid that Lady Pendragon _insists_ that you see her immediately." Suddenly, a new voice spoke up, before it was revealed to be Grayfia Lucifuge, Head Maid of House Pendragon, as she materialized in James' personal study, shocking James. "However, if you will not come quietly, then it is more than acceptable for me to bring you to her without your consent and restrained for good measure."

"How the fuck did you get in here, demon?!" James shot up from his seat, already reaching for his wand.

Unfortunately for the quickly sobering former Auror, he had neither the hundreds of years of practice, nor an intuitive sense of magic and control over it. Grayfia's left hand made a relaxed gesture, freezing the House Elf where he stood, before paralyzing James with her right hand and levitating him out of his seat. Once it was done, she teleported them both into the main hall of Potter Hall, where Aries was already waiting, guarded by four Nephilims, while Lily was being held magically in place through paralysis by Raynare. With Grayfia and James joining them now, Aries nodded to both of them to let the magic go, releasing James and Lily, letting them fall on their knees, but not letting them out of Nephilims' sight.

"Thank you, Raynare, Grayfia." Aries thanked them, before turning her complete attention to Potters. "James, Lily, I would say thank you for seeing me in such short notice, but we are well past the pleasantries at this point, aren't we?"

"What are doing here, and how did you managed sneak these hell spawns with you here?!" Lily snarled at her. "Do you think that taking us captive will actually go unnoticed? The Ministry will grind you to dust and all of England will descend upon your damn House just to save us!"

"And why would I want to take you in captivity, hm? As for how did my escort has made their way here, you may thank Nephilims unique magical abilities. Similarly, to House Elves, they can teleport bypassing barriers and wards, if they have a point to focus upon, like me here." Aries informed them. "As for why I've decided to make my way back in England, I've decided to put an end to this nonsense that we've been engaged in for over a year now."

"So, you've come to capitulate to us? What, Arthur is too much of a chicken to come and see us himself?" James mocked him, before Grayfia grabbed him by his hair and actually punched him in the face.

"Grayfia, it is unbecoming of you, succumbing to provocations of such a lowly creature like this." Aries lightly admonished the Head Maid. "Along with that, there is no need to mire your hands with him."

"Milady, I am afraid I won't apologize for my actions. This man has repeatedly tested the patience of the House I sworn to serve, and it is well past time that he learned respect." Grayfia stated with force in her voice. "If you wish, you may punish me for my mistake in any way you deem acceptable."

"Just wash your hands after all is done." Aries simply sighed, before turning to James and Lily. "I am not here to surrender, but to put you two in your place, and reclaim what rightfully belongs my son. And before you ask what do I mean, let me give you a small hint: your pet wolf cared for his own skin more than for your own." James and Lily understood what that meant.

"Remus, that worthless piece of mutt shit!" James snarled. "Do you really think that he spoke truth? He probably just lied so that he could safe his skin and you bought it and let him run wild again."

"If he is running wild, then it's only in afterlife now, since Arthur had ensured it." Aries suddenly stated to them. "Don't insult my intelligence, James, because right now I am the only person that can actually let you two live."

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked of her.

"After your attack on my son in Beauxbatons, Arthur has called a summit of all Lords of Pendragon bloodlines, and on that summit, they have unanimously agreed to declare war upon House Potter." Aries informed them, shocking James and Lily. "As of 15 hours ago, you two and all your allies have been marked for death."

"Arthur wouldn't allow it! He would never stoop to declaring war, especially on us! We are his closest kin after his children!" James declared.

"Perhaps, but after my husband learned about how you've betrayed your own mother and used Voldemort to get what you wanted, he had let go of all connections and memories he had of you, James." James paled immediately at what Aries told him and Lily. "In fact, he was so enraged that he vaporized Remus with Mana Burst of all things just seconds after he informed us of your plans. Care to imagine what he will do with the two of you, now that nothing is holding him back, except for me?"

"If our Houses are now at war, why did you not just order your servants here to kill us?" Lily glared at Aries. "You could've easily done so, couldn't you?"

"Yes, and I still can, but I won't, because that would mean losing what my son deserves to be his." Aries simply told them, before producing form her robes a parchment and a Blood Quill, which she placed on the floor before the two. "I believe you two recognize a Magical Binding Contract. I'm giving you a choice: sign it, or we'll end the war in the more traditional way." James and Lily quickly looked over the Contract, their eyes widening in the shock.

"You damned wench! Not only will you bankrupt us, but we won't even be able to touch our son or even do anything about it!" James screamed at Aries. "And to add up to it, you'll even have us give that brat a magical oath never to interfere with his life, directly or indirectly, under the threat of death!"

"What else did you expect? The two of you have committed worst of crimes against my family, against my son. While Arthur and good number of Pendragon Lords would rather see you dead, I, along with a few more imaginative members, will satisfied with rendering you as nothing more than disgraced beggars, helpless to change your situation and unable to ever avenge yourselves." Aries said with some satisfaction in her voice. "And believe me, I have made sure that you will _never_ harm or interfere with our son's life and our own lives in any way. Even unknowingly or charmed, you won't be able to do so, or the result will be the same: death."

"And what will we get in return for this damned ultimatum?" Lily wanted to know.

"Your lives and assurance that neither me or Arthur will ever interfere with your lives, directly or indirectly. The other Lords of Pendragon bloodline also agree to this condition, and see it as an acceptable alternative to war. But even so, if you somehow find a way to get out of this bind, remember that we always can release the information into the masses about your plot to kill Euphemia and Harry during the war." Aries noted to them, before looking at her watches. "You have one minute to agree. Fail to sign it up until them, and then I'll let my maids have their way with you two. And once we are done here, Jamie will be next on our list." Aries' cold tone indicated that she was dead serious about it.

James and Lily exchanged glances, before Lily reached for the quill and signed the contract up. She may've valued wealth and power, but saving her skin was more important for her. James looked shocked at the fact that his wife had given up so soon, but even he had to admit that there wasn't much of a chance for them to get out of this one alive. He will be left destitute, dishonored and homeless, but at least alive, and with Dumbledore, they were sure to have _some_ form of future, since they are parents of the Boy Who Lived. After a little thought, her reached for the quill and signed the contract, with magic acknowledging the pact being sealed. Aries felt satisfied with it, and grabbed the parchment and placed it back in her robes.

"Glad to know that you are at least smarter than what I feared. You have 6 hours to transfer the Lordship to Mordred and reveal the last will of Fleamont. Fail to comply, and death will come for you." With that being said, Aries and her Nephilim companions have concluded their business and left the soon to be destroyed House Potter for good.

* * *

**A bit short for my usual style, but it is something I think you will find to your liking. Hope that all of you are doing well in these terrible times. Now to explain a few things really quick:**

**Arthur's Mana Burst. As all Pendragons, Arthur has the potential to unlock it, and given his Nephilim blood from his mother, it was extremely likely he would get it. As for why so late in his life, then allow me to refresh your memory that Pendragons usually unlock Mana Burst past the age of 15, with Mordred being a special case. Along with that, Arthur didn't have a good enough stimulus to unlock his powers. Also Mana Burst can take multiple forms, like fire for Arthur, lightning for Galahad or simple wave of energy for Mordred.**

**Now with that out of the way, I hope that you all have a good time and I would like to thank you for your support and reading of this story. I am really thankful and glad that in these troubled times, my story can brighten up a day for someone. Oh and for that great evil from the past? It is still coming, but not in this chapter. Next one will be dedicated more to developping other Pendragon characters.**

**Next time: Training with Raven; A day with Pendragons.  
**

**See ya all soon and stay healthy!**


	12. Chapter 12

**October 12****th****. France. Branwen's training grounds.**

Another loud thud sounded throughout the grounds, with Mordred laying on the ground, panting and groaning from pain, with Raven looking down at him, before tossing him his straight training sword and taking a position back at her end of the training ring.

"Are daydreaming there, or have you given up, boy?" Raven asked of him in a mocking fashion, with Mordred groaning and getting up, picking up the steel into his hands. "Alright, you still have some spirit left in you. You are either braver, or dumber than most modern soft wizards I've seen."

"Whatever you say, teacher." Mordred responded to her, wiping off his brows the sweat, before gripping the sword with both his hands and going towards her.

The boy, despite his smaller and considerably weaker frame when compared to Raven, was still coming towards her without a hint of fear or cowardice. The black haired woman smirked at the kid's determination, but just because she approved of his will and determination to move forward, she wasn't going to be lenient on him because of acting like a dumb fool.

A running tactic with a thrusting attack was as foolish as one could get, and Raven wasn't going to forgive Mordred for using this tactic. With a swift motion from her own training straight sword, she moved Mordred's sword to her left, exposing his entire right side. Next, she grabbed him by the arm and kicked the ground from under him, forcing him onto the ground, with her own sword at his throat.

"Never use a thrusting attack in combination with running, _especially _when your opponent sees you coming from a mile away." Raven told Mordred, before moving her sword away from him and picking up his own. "If you are going to use this tactic, then use it as a diversion for a quick counter or sudden attack. Or better yet, don't rely upon ever again and conserve what strength you've got and approach carefully and steadily. I hope that you understand what I'm saying, because the next time you come at me like a half-assed dimwit, I'll make sure to knock some sense into you with real steel."

"Yes… Teacher. I get it." Mordred wheezed out of him, as he rising up, with Raven nodding to him with a chuckle.

"Good. We are done with swordplay for today, so go ahead and take a seat. It's time we've started working on your magical control." Raven told him, as she hung the swords on training stands, while Mordred headed to the nearby small hill, followed by his teacher.

As she walked towards the top of the hill, Raven recalled the events of the past month and a half, feeling herself a little bit nostalgic. An uncommon feeling for the woman, but then again, she was getting used to quite a lot of uncommon things in the past month, such as no need to constantly wander around the area, having a literal house and being an officially employed person. While some in her tribe disagreed with Raven's decision to relocate to France and making a deal with Arthur Pendragon, she believed that it was for the best and that her tribe needed to adapt to the changing conditions, if they wanted to survive. And conditions offered by French were far more tempting and less imprisoning then the once that British Ministry would have imposed on Raven and her tribe.

Lord Pendragon kept his word, and had provided means for Raven's tribe to safely relocate to France, granting a portion of his own land to the tribe so as to establish a permanent settlement, and even had managed to provide citizenship of France to Raven and her tribesmen. She knew full well that House Pendragon was a powerhouse, but even she was surprised at the amount of influence and power it holds, and not just in France. Numerous Branch Families, Successor Houses and allied Houses, all of them formed a massive and powerful alliance that had enough influence and power to shake the foundation of the Magical World. And British had actually not just crossed House Pendragon, the literal head and core of this alliance, but even thought that they could win. Raven was actually surprised and somewhat shocked at the fact that Pendragons had actually agreed to Aries' plan and were content to let the Potters, or former Potters to be more precise, live, even with the magical oaths. Normally, Pendragons don't leave many survivors when they go to war, as Raven knew quite well from history.

Then again, the fact that the most famous and powerful modern British Wizarding Family was reduced to essentially homeless beggars amused Raven and her clansmen. And without any way to get back what they believed was theirs, and no way of ever getting rid of the shame of losing all they had, those three have quickly become a laughingstock of Wizarding World and nobility. Of course, majority of British population was looking at Pendragons and Mordred in particular as demons and monsters that needed to be destroyed, while the Noble Houses were reluctant and careful in their dealings that were even remotely connected with House Pendragon and its allies.

Some of the British Houses were already trying to establish positive relations with Pendragons and their allies, knowing full well, that with such supporters on their side, they would be safe and sound, should something happen with them. While most of Britain may not hold any love for the descendants of King Arthur, there were a few of those that were closely tied to Pendragons, either through alliances or bloodlines.

House Greengrass was the first to officially reinstate themselves as House Pendragon's ally and friend in an official manner, while unofficially the two Houses have remained friends throughout their history, which stretched as far as 16th century. The two Houses have always enjoyed a great trust, friendship and powerful alliance made between them, an alliance that had helped solidify House Greengrass' powerful position in Britain. Even after the diplomatic relations between Britain and France have soured, House Greengrass didn't suffer as much as the others, instead benefiting from the sudden shift in powers and expanded their influence.

Current Lord Greengrass, Brian Greengrass, is a close friend to both Lord and Lady Pendragon and has been long interested in tightening the bond between Houses Pendragon and Greengrass. It was no secret that after Aries' skillful execution of her plan, Brian was quite intrigued and interested in Pendragons' second son, with Lady Katarina Greengrass hinting at the possibility of uniting Houses through marriage. For now, both Arthur and Aries dismissed those talks as wishful thinking and didn't wish to push anything like that upon their children, especially Mordred and Charlotte. Still, that didn't deter Brian from making off-handed comments in the British Ministry about the fact that his eldest child and heiress Daphne's future was as good as secured with Pendragons, especially when some of the more annoying suitors were trying to make their moves on the heiress. At least this secured Greengrass family from being hunted by greedy Houses in hopes of taking their wealth and power away.

As for Mordred himself and his status, he was now officially Lord Potter-Peverell, as well as holder of lands and all monetary possessions of the three Houses, including House Fleamont wealth and power. While officially he couldn't really do anything with those assets, as it was all controlled by his Regent, who was Arthur Pendragon, that didn't mean that Mordred was going to just leave all that wealth and possessions lying around. Already all of the monetary possessions of Potter, Peverell and Fleamont vaults were transferred into Medici Bank instead of Gringotts, with the land itself being sold out, much to the chagrin of former Potters and majority of British Nobility and Magical Society. The only thing that Mordred and Arthur didn't sell was the burial tomb of Potters in Norfolk, which they've left alone and untouched, but extremely well defended and protected with wards and barriers.

Speaking of Mordred, Raven had to admit that while she wasn't all that interested in taking any sort of apprentice before, that boy was actually someone she could mold into what she could see as her successor. Like she said to Arthur and Aries, she was hard and tough on the boy, shaping him up to be what she envisioned a powerful follower of The Old Way. While the two may've not agreed with some of Raven's more brutal and violent methods, they couldn't argue with the results and honored their agreement, letting the woman train their son. And train him Raven did, imparting upon him what she herself learned in the tribe and over years of activity.

Her methods were tough and merciless, as she was the same way, and she didn't tolerate failure or stupidity, as well as weakness and slothfulness. If Mordred did make a mistake in the training, she would make him see it by exploiting it and beating him to the ground, before making sure that he never repeated that mistake again. Fortunately, the kid was bright and didn't make any mistake more than once or twice, and even Raven had compliment mentally the tenacity and determination of the boy. She had expected him to run to his mother after a week of training, but he didn't and _never _complained about her methods and how she taught. Instead, he learned, trained and progressed without a second thought, doing what Raven told him to do.

So far, Raven had been focusing on the boy's physical capabilities and strengthening his body, so that it would be capable of handling powerful magic and so as to make the boy used to such life style. The Old Way practitioners treat their body like temples and make sure it is in best shape possible, as through healthy and strong body they can draw more power and stronger magic. Another reason is the fact that one of the core aspects of The Old Way is to utilize magical energy not just to cast magic, but to use it to strengthen the body of the user itself, make him stronger, faster, grant him unending endurance in battle. All of it required that the body of the user is to be strong enough to handle the pressure of such strengthening and rushing energy in the body, as it could overload and severely hurt the user's body.

Mordred was even more susceptible to such a thing, given his Pendragon and Nephilim heritage, as well as his own naturally developed magical reserves due to Morenna's Syndrome. In short, he already possessed more magical energy than a promising 15-year-old student of Beauxbatons, and that wasn't even close to his possible height. If Raven and Grayfia were correct in their assessments of the boy's potential, he could become as powerful as Mordred the Avenger, who was a recorded equal and even superior, if you were to believe some of Pendragons' legends, to Merlin himself, the strongest recorded Sorcerer in all of history. If honed and tempered with the right methods, Raven could very well mold Mordred into the strongest Wizard in over a thousand years, and she was working towards such goal.

Soon enough, the two have reached the hill, with Raven sitting upon one of the stones, motioning to Mordred to sit on the other one. Once he did, she spoke up.

"Up until now, I've been making you work your ass off on your physical condition and training you in ways of swordsmanship. Want to ask me why I wasn't instead training you in magic instead?" Raven asked of him.

"No." Mordred simply stated to her. "Magic can be harmful to an untrained body and lessen the potential of a wizard, especially if one uses The Old Way. Without strong body, there can't be strong magic."

"That is right, and that's the critical lesson that a lot of Wizards and Witches of today seem to have forgotten. They are far more comfortable just waving around those sticks of their and not do jack about using magic themselves." Raven scoffed at the thought. "Back in the time, wandless magic was just as common as the wand one now, and people used it without any trouble like they have today. Care to explain to me why so few Wizards and Witches can't even properly use wandless magic?"

"Because they grew lazy?" Mordred bluntly asked of Raven, who nodded.

"Correct, and because of that, they've forgotten the most essential skills they knew. Ever since the Statute of Secrecy was put in place, Wizards and Witches have lost their teeth and need to train as they did. Now all you need to learn is how to wave your wand and spell the spells… Pathetic. The most physical thing they can actually do now is play that dumb polo with broomsticks." Raven said with disdain, before looking into Mordred's eyes. "Remember this, Mordred, and remember this very well: using magic doesn't come from spells, but from power, will and determination. Spells and wands serve essentially the same purpose, and can you tell me which purpose is it?"

"To… to mold magical energy into what it can become?" Mordred asked of Raven, who nodded.

"Right, spells help those poor excuses for magical users to focus on creating what they want, while wand focuses magical energy into what is being casted from an image in their mind. That's how all the magic happens for them." Raven told him. "For us, practitioners of The Old Way, this is an unexpected crutch and we only ever use wands in situation where extreme precision and caution is needed. We bypass the unnecessary elements of wand and spells by using magical energy directly and molding it into what we see fit." With that said, Raven brought up her left open palm, before a small fire appeared on it and continued burning for almost a minute, before disappearing, with Raven continuing.

"With proper focus and concentration, you can command magical energy inside of you to become what you need it to be, but to properly use it, you need to learn how to control the flow of such energy inside and out of you." Raven told Mordred. "So the first thing you will be learning is how to regulate the outlet of your energy. Your father told me that you've already received some lessons in controlling your magical energy from some guy named Agravain and from Grayfia Lucifuge, right?"

"Yeah, I've got Mana Burst, a hereditary power of Pendragons." Mordred told to Raven. "Without controlling it, I could've seriously hurt someone, so they've had me trained in using it."

"Yeah, hereditary power, I've heard stories about Mana Burst. One of the reasons why Pendragons are naturally better trained in The Old Way." Raven commented to Mordred. "Alright, your task right now is to focus up start concentrating your magic in your body as much as possible. And I mean your magical energy, and not your Mana Burst ability. Once I tell you, you are to hold the level of your power without dropping or raising it for as long as I tell you, got it? Good, the start up."

Mordred nodded to Raven, before he closed his eyes and focused the way that he learned from Grayfia and Galahad. Soon enough Raven started to sense that Mordred was starting to gather and increasing magical energy begin expelled from his body. For the kid, he sure could pump out a great amount, that was for sure, as Raven noted mentally. For a few minutes, everything was proceeding well, as Raven began to sense and see Mordred's magical aura, but then she started to sense that the energy was starting to become unstable and cramped up in one spot. She realized what he was doing and in the next second, she reached for her sheathed sword and the smacked the sheath on top of his head. Mordred yelped from pain and lost concentration, dissipating the built up energy. Once that was done, Raven spoke up to him.

"Idiot, what did I tell you to do?" Raven asked of Mordred in an irritated tone.

"Focus, start concentrating as much magical energy and then…" Mordred was about to continue, but Raven didn't let him.

"Did I say a word about putting all of that energy into one single spot in your body?" Raven asked of Mordred. "Remember this, kid: concentrating magical energy in a single spot is an assured way to maim or kill yourself, if you can't control that energy properly. Start up again, and don't focus all of that power into such a small area of yourself. Make sure it doesn't leak out of your body and that will be alright for today. Begin!" Raven told him, with Mordred nodding to her and starting all over again.

This time, he wasn't doing it like he did the last time, allowing the energy to spread throughout his body and safely concentrate in a stable manner. Raven watched and observed the boy closely, noting that this time he was doing it as he was supposed to the first time. She waited and watched as he was increasing the concentration of magic inside of his body, looking for the signs when he will begin to struggle with it. She needed to learn Mordred's threshold, a point after which he would start to lose concentration and the energy build up in him would leak out. She needed to teach him in first holding inside him the energy, build up his endurance and control of it. After a few minutes, Raven caught the sense of Mordred beginning to struggle with his building up energy, and that's when she understood that it was his threshold.

"Stop gathering the energy further and now maintain it inside of you at the current level." Raven told him. "The energy can dissipate from your body even if you try to bottle it up inside of you, so you will add up small amount of energy, generating it like you did before, but at a much smaller amount and constantly. You will be doing that until I say you can stop, so don't even think about quitting." Mordred nodded with some strain and continued to do what Raven told him.

In the end, Mordred was able to maintain the power inside of him for over an hour, before his body couldn't go on and he stopped generating magical energy and dropped off the stone onto the grass, panting and sore in all over his body. Raven, throughout all this time, watched and observed him closely, as if a predator was eyeing its prey, and she was analyzing what she has been sensing from Mordred throughout all that time. She was honestly surprised at the fact that the kid not only managed to maintain his energy for such a long time, but also at the fact of him gathering it in such an amount and keeping it all. It was far more than usual newcomers in learning The Old Way could actually handle, and this kid was able to handle it without any serious trouble. Now Raven could see that her thoughts about the kid being potentially the strongest wizard in centuries weren't based on nothing. She rose up from her seat and walked to the laying Mordred, speaking up to him.

"Did I tell you could stop? Five minutes' rest, and start again." Raven told him, with Mordred responding to her.

"Y-yes… Master." Mordred responded to Raven, without any complain.

He wasn't going to complain or disagree, simply do what needed to be done without any hesitation. While his teacher was quite hard and brutal on Mordred, from the general point of view, in Mordred's eyes, she was actually being nice to him and simply pushed him to achieving more and better results. While she did hit or berate him when he did mess up, Raven never enjoyed it or did it out of pure pleasure, like Dursleys did it to him. Instead, she simply pointed out what he was doing wrong and told him to do it again the correct way, and Mordred did.

To him, Raven wasn't cruel or simply someone who enjoyed inflicting pain upon the others for no good reason. She simply did things her own way and achieved results, and Mordred could understand that, and to him Raven was someone he respected and admired. While his mother, Apolline and others have all expressed serious concern over the fact that Raven was training him with such zeal and seeming brutality, Mordred didn't see anything that Raven did as real brutality. Harsh, difficult and hard to grasp at first- yes, but nothing about it was cruel or brutal.

After all, he was very familiar with just how heartless and cruel people can be, as he remembered Dursleys and Potters, and compared to them and their actions to what Raven was doing to him. If anything, she was doing _far _more good to the kid despite her rough exterior, and possibly interior. She was making sure he was to grow up strong and fit for the future, capable of being a good practitioner of The Old Way.

And Mordred wasn't going to disappoint his teacher.

* * *

**Same time. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Training yard.**

A large group of students were running laps on the training yard, with managing to handle the exercise just fine, while a certain someone was seriously struggling to even keep up. Morgan was leading at the head of the group, sweating a little, but not breaking her speed or struggling to breath. And at the same time, Nymphadora was breathing with hardship and even moving her feet, as she had never in her life been forced to run for so long and without a stop. She had long lost count to the laps she had covered and was simply wishing that this torture of an exercise would stop already. Seriously, this school was completely utterly different from Hogwarts, and because of that neither Nymphadora nor any of the Hogwarts exchange students could really fit in. More subjects, different study programs, subjects that were completely irrelevant for the wizards and witches, not to mention French language which they still haven't learned properly. Seriously, why would these people be learning algebra and geometry, or physics and chemistry?

Initially, Nymphadora had though that she and the others will fit right in without any trouble, but she immediately discovered that this wasn't going to the case. She expected to get popular and respected, or at least noticed for her metamorphic abilities, but in reality all she got is indifference and little to no reaction, even when she demonstrated her abilities. In fact, she got into trouble for morphing into other people, as the teachers had reprimanded her and made her serve a punishment with one of them. And all the while she saw how Morgan excelled and aced the classes, with quite a number of students looking up to her and being her friends.

Tonks had never expected her cousin and once best friend to be that popular in her school, and good in academics, especially given her attitude. All of that served as a fuel to boost up already built up Tonks' feeling of jealousy and envy towards Morgan. And to top it all off, she and the others were nowhere near in learning about Mordred or befriending him, as he had actually quit the school after the Potters showed up here on the first day. This wasn't supposed to happen, and it was going to be an easy task, assigned by Dumbledore himself: find Mordred, get to be his friends and gain his trust, and once he trusted them, turn him away from Pendragons and on the side of Light. All of that was supposed to be a piece of cake for Nymphadora, but it turned out that luck wasn't on her side.

A loud sound of whistle being blown reached the running group, signaling them to stop and form up in front of their PE teacher. Nymphadora had barely been able to wobble back to the group, catching her breath along the way. Their instructor spoke up.

"Well done, you've covered the track in time and all look like I expected you to. Well, at least those that do their exercises." The instructor looked at Tonks, before walking closer to her. "Nymphadora Tonks, our supposed to be star exchange student from Hogwarts… Let me ask you: do they even teach you how to do push-ups or jogging there?"

"Why the heck… Would we need to learn to do that? We've got wands, so why bother with all this dumb stuff anyway." Nymphadora replied, with a few of the students laughing a little at Tonks.

"I see. You've all heard, the general disposition of Hogwarts and Britain on the personal physical education, and I want you all to remember, that such a disposition will not be tolerated in here and our esteemed Academy." Instructor spoke to all of students. "Today's Friday, and since this is your last class today, all those that wish to go home, you can do so now. Just make sure not to forget anything in here. Now, all of you can go, safe for Tonks and Pendragon." That last bit caught Morgan off guard, while some of her friends wondered why would she be held back.

After a while the training yard was mostly empty, safe for the instructor, Morgan and Nymphadora, who all stayed behind. The two girls were clearly not very comfortable with each other, but the instructor didn't seem to be bothered by that small detail. He spoke up once it was clear that they were alone.

"Alright, Pendragon, from what I understand, you and Miss Tonks here are relatives, aren't you?" He asked her.

"Well, yeah, we are cousins on my mom's side." Morgan replied, confused as to why would her coach be asking something like that. "Um, sir, why did you ask me to hang back and not head back home?"

"Because I've decided that since you are a relative of our guest student, you would be a perfect choice to help her get her act together." Instructor said to her. "I believe you've noticed that your cousin has been doing less than expected in her classes, including on my own. While it may seem strange, Morgan, but Madame Maxime wishes to have Miss Tonks to be able to keep up with the rest of her classmates. You are one of the top students in your class, and since you two are relative, Madame Maxime believes that you might be perfect to help Miss Tonks to get through the study program."

"I'm sorry, coach, but are you actually asking me to babysit her?" Morgan pointed at Nymphadora, who glared at her. "Not sure if you've heard about it or not, but we don't exactly on the talking terms anymore. And I'm not losing any sleep over it, if you are thinking about playing the mediator."

"Look, I know that this isn't exactly something that we may usually do…" Instructor spoke up, but Morgan stopped him in his tracks.

"Yeah, and it kinda smells of nepotism." Morgan admitted, with Nymphadora finally speaking up.

"What, can't you just give up some of your pride and help out your friend in need? Or are you too highborn to even bother?" Nymphadora asked of Morgan in condescending way, to which Morgan replied.

"I at least have pride and understand what it means to have pride in oneself and in one's family. And I may be what you your boyfriend call "highborn bitch", but that doesn't mean I'm not willing to use your face as a target practice for my fists." Morgan cracked her knuckles to emphasize her point.

"Aright, that's enough, Pendragon!" Instructor said to her. "Look, I can see that you don't exactly like it, but you won't be doing it for free. Madame Maxime and some other teachers are willing to let you skip the summer exams if you help out Nymphadora Tonks, myself also included."

"Are you actually trying to bribe me to help her out?" Morgan looked at the man incredulously. "Ya know what? Like hell will I be helping out this girl get her act together here, and you be sure that I'll never be helping her boyfriend or his brother. And as for that offer- go and tell Madame Maxime that she can shove it where the sun doesn't shine." Morgan furiously said to her instructor, before leaving the yard without another word being said.

Soon enough, she reached the locker room and after a brief shower, she dressed up in her usual garments, putting all of her sports clothing in her bag. Morgan was ready to head home, when she suddenly heard the door into the room open up. Feeling not so safe after her encounter with instructor and Nymphadora, Morgan brought out her wand and gripped it. However, her fears were unfounded, as one of Morgan's friends, Selene Moreau, a blond like Morgan, but taller and with blue eyes, enter the room and spoke up.

"Hey, Morgan, where have you been all this time? What was the hold up with the coach and Tonks?" Selene asked of her, while Morgan let out a sigh of relief, putting away her wand. "Geez, girl, I think you should relax a little. Ever since these exchange students arrived, you've been on edge almost all the time."

"Yeah, sorry, Sel. Let's get going already." Morgan said, with the two leaving the locker room and heading towards the portals. "Blame the Weasels and Tonks for my paranoia. I just know that those three aren't here just to help Britain and France become buddies again, and it just pisses me off that our own headmistress is so lenient towards them. Hell, coach had actually tried to offer me to help out Tonks get her stuff together in the classes. And he said that the offer came from Maxime herself. Can you believe that?"

"Well, I've been hearing rumors that a couple of the teachers have been making the similar offers to some other students of our year and older ones too." Selene told Morgan. "Don't actually know if any took up that offer, but I do know that they've actually tried to have my big sister help out the eldest of Weasleys. She turned down the offer, and now her herbology professor is being extra hard on her and is using every excuse to give her a bad mark. Something tells me that we might want to be a bit careful, Morgan."

"To heck with the caution. I'm not gonna be just sitting around and doing nothing while something like that is happening." Morgan told her. "Argh, I hate it when I need to go and ask dad about something, but I might just go and tell him about it. Knowing him and our family's extensive connections, we might just have it straightened out in no time."

"Hopefully, 'cause I don't like where this is all going, Morgan. It's like Dumbledore is starting to run our academy through Maxime and her cronies." Selene told Morgan. "And all for what? What is the deal between your little brother and those Potters with Dumbledore anyway? Why send their goons to spy on him?"

"Honestly, I've got no freaking idea why they just won't leave Mordred alone and not bother us again. I know that it's got something to do with what the Potters and Dumbledore did to him, and the way I see it, they wanted Mordred to either stay a Mageborn, or to die." Morgan told Selene, who paled at her words. "I know that it's probably a whole lot more complicated than that, but all I need to know is that my little brother was hurt by them and that my cousin and her family are now in the same league as they. And that makes our relations less than pleasant."

"You sure got all of your priorities figured out, don't you?" Selene said to Morgan. "By the way, is this true that your brother won't be returning to Beauxbatons ever again?"

"Yeah, after what the Potters tried to do to him in the last month, he decided not to attend the academy and instead try and learn what my mom called The Old Way." Morgan told Selene, who quirked her brow up. "Supposedly, it's an old fashioned, ancient way of utilizing magic, plus teaching people how to become warriors and all that. Sure does sound like something out of a fairy tale, but it's actually a real thing, and Mordred's learning it."

"Wouldn't learning this Old Way mean he wouldn't be receiving education, like all of us do. You know, in math and stuff?"

"Well, he's also learning from our librarian and Grayfia about all the other stuff, and Sona is like a walking talking encyclopedia, so he should be fine. If anything, he might end up gaining a bachelor's degree in something like math before he hits 18 with Sona at the reigns of his upbringing." Morgan joked, with Selene chuckling.

"Ah, I think that's enough about your brother. Wanna go to Paris? Me and the rest of the gang were thinking about grabbing a snack, or hitting the cinema, since it's Friday." Selene offered to Morgan. "that is, if you are available. I know that you also look out for your little sister, and often wait up for her, before going home."

"Actually, grabbing a snack and hitting the movies sounds like just what I need. Just let me get Gawain and…" Morgan stopped when she saw her little sister walking and chatting with a boy from another class, chuckling at what he was telling her. "Hey, Charle! Can I pry you away from your boyfriend for a moment?" Morgan could almost see steam coming out of Charlotte's ears from embarrassment, before she darted to her sister.

"Was it really that necessary?" Selene asked her, with Morgan shrugging it off.

"Nah, but that boy from Fleur and Pyrrha's class has hitting on my little sister for the past month, and she's allowing it. I can definitely tell that there might be something brewing between them." Morgan told Selene. "Plus it's a whole lot of innocent fun, no harm done."

"Sister, could please not do it again? At least here, with everyone watching…" Charlotte asked of Morgan, as she came to her and Selene.

"But then I wouldn't be able to see your cute adorable blush all the time, plus I'm doing your boyfriend a favor, since boys do love blushing girls." Morgan laughed a little, before getting to the point. "Anyway, me and Selene are going to Paris for cinema with other girls. I'll have Gawain pick you up after the classes, so don't worry about it."

"We still have one more class with Professor d'Estrella, and Mom said this morning that she'll be picking up me and the others after the classes." Charle told Morgan, looking surprised at her little sister. "She said that she wanted to have words with Madame Maxime about something going on with the exchange students." Morgan and Selene exchanged looks.

"Maybe we can go to Paris tomorrow. The weather forecast states that it'll be nice tomorrow, plus we can hit the mall and do some shopping." Selene offered, knowing that now Morgan wasn't going to leave with her.

"Yeah, good idea, Sel."

* * *

**Meanwhile. Beauxbatons' headmistress office.**

"Mr. Pendragon, thank you for coming in such a short notice. I understand that my summons must've come as a surprise, considering all the circumstances, surrounding your family and my friendly affiliations." Madame Maxime greeted Gawain in her office. "Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you, Headmistress, but I'll have to respectfully decline. I would much rather know why I was summoned here." Gawain didn't want to mince words and wished to get straight to business.

"Ah, what a direct approach, quite unusual for someone aspiring for the role of a diplomat, wouldn't you agree?" Madame Maxime remarked, but Gawain didn't seem all that interested in remarks. "Very well, I guess you have this side of yours from your father, Lord Pendragon. I believe you have noticed that our exchange students seem to struggle with their studies and understanding our educational program."

"I'm afraid that they aren't just struggling, but outright refuse to adapt and understand it." Gawain informed Maxime. "They are far too used to the standards of Hogwarts, which seem to be far less study intensive. They can't even comprehend basic mathematics and still have trouble with basic French grammar."

"Yes, that is quite unfortunate and I believe that it is our duty to help our good guests with their struggles. From what your records show, you are one of our best students, and I believe it would be wonderful, if you were to extend a helping hand to them and…" Madame Maxime wasn't able to continue, as Gawain suddenly interjected.

"Pardon me, Madame Maxime, but I will say the same thing that I said to Professor Lohne: my answer is no." Gawain let her understand that he knew about her trying to get help to the Hogwarts students. "I will not assist the exchange students, and to be frank with you, I would rather prefer them gone from Beauxbatons, instead of having them here, serving as intelligence gathering agents of Dumbledore."

"Gawain, I understand that your family and my friend do not get along, but I don't see it being a valid enough reason for you not to help the needed, especially when it is well known fact that you rarely leave those in need of help without it." Madame Maxime remarked again.

"True, but there are a number of reasons for my reluctance and lack of desire to help them, both personal and political." Gawain said to her in an official tone.

"My dear boy, I am certain that you are far too young for politics. And even if so, wouldn't you think this to be a good opportunity to serve as a peacemaker, just like you aspire to be?"

"I'm afraid that in this case, I will prefer war to peace." Gawain said to Headmistress.

"Even if it may negatively affect your progress here?" She said in a slightly threatening tone, before the door into her office was opened without a knock, forcing Maxime and Gawain to look at the intruder with surprise.

"Pardon the intrusion, Headmistress, but I believe we have an appointment." Aries Pendragon, dressed in garments of her House, walked through the door, accompanied by Raynare. "Gawain, dear, I hope you weren't summoned here due to some trouble with your education."

"No, Mama, though Headmistress may imply that there could be some coming my way due to my… reluctant behavior." Gawain said to her, with Aries looking towards Maxime.

"Gawain, I believe it is time for your next class. It wouldn't be prudent to miss it." Gawain understood what his mother meant, and left without another word said, shutting the door behind him. "Headmistress, I believe it is time for us to have a talk."

"Lady Pendragon, and to what do I owe this sudden and unwarranted intrusion?" Madame Maxime asked of her in an irritated voice. "Unlike some people, I do not like to have people barging in without my permission."

"This "unwarranted intrusion", as you've put it, was warranted by your actions in regards towards Dumbledore and my family, along with confirmed rumors of your illicit actions towards the student body of this establishment." Aries stated to Maxime, who looked at her with widened eyes. "Exploitation of the students to keep your guests afloat, using bribery and threats… More than enough reason and evidence to have you removed for good, and before you speak up in your defense, I will state that we have more than enough proof of your guilt, as well as guilt of others."

"If that is the case, then what do you want of me? To resign out of my own volition?" Maxime asked of her.

"Quite the opposite, to be honest. Right now, the only thing that keeps you in your position is my House's influence, and if you wish to retain it, as well as avoid the unsavory fate of imprisonment and disgrace, you will consider what we have to offer you." Aries told her, with Maxime listening to her. "My husband and I, as well as better part of France, are well aware that you are Dumbledore's primary source of information in France, as well as his ally. Under normal circumstances, we could now easily remove you from your position, however, that would be a waste of time and resources, in my opinion. Instead, I am here to offer you this: work for us, retain your position as headmistress, continue reporting to Dumbledore, feeding him what we want him to know. In exchange, we can guarantee your safety from jail for your past misdeeds, provided that they stop."

"And if I refuse?" Maxime asked of her.

"Then you will be sent to jail to spend from 7 to 15 years, losing all the credibility and prestige you've worked so hard to maintain. After your release, you will lose any opportunity to work in any sphere of society, including educational, and will be forced to relocate to one of the few places that still has giants living there." Aries stated with complete confidence. "So, do we have the deal?"

There could only be one answer to such a question from Olympe Maxime.

* * *

**My apologies for not posting anything last week. I've decided to take it off for a bit of an R&R, plus to celebrate my mother's birthday. I am back on track, refreshed and ready for the real stuff to begin! That's right, the prequel arc is officially over and we get into the main story, so to speak.**

**Before I finish this chapter off, I would like to say thank you all for your support and wish you all good luck in these times. Coronavirus has affected us all in some serious ways, and seems to have now began his ****_real_**** invasion into Russia. Since 3****rd**** of May, the number of infected every day has been over 10 thousand, and as of yesterday, Russia is the second country with most infected people, having surpassed Spain, Italy and UK. And the situation is bound to get only worse, since Putin has declared the end of period of self-isolation and while regional governors still can enforce further isolation, it seems that our government's policies are starting to fail. I hope that we will get through it all in relative one piece, but it might be wishful thinking.**

**Anyway, stay safe and sound all of you.**

**Next time: Preparing for mission to Hogwarts; Infiltrate, locate and extract Philosopher's Stone.**

**See ya soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

**South-Western England. Devonshire. 12th of May 1991.**

The night had finally fallen over England, with moon hidden by the clouds above, and as all of rural Devon fell into sleep and peace, the forces that waited for the time and chance to act have begun to move. A well-prepared task force, dispersed and secretly located throughout the entire South-Western England had assembled into the three separate groups, having received the signal for action from their command. Once assembled and prepared, they waited for the designated time when they would begin their movement towards their target.

The target in question was a two-story cottage, situated some ways away from any populated areas and villages in Devon, a seemingly reclusive estate for those that didn't like to be disturbed. While it could pique someone's curiosity and may be even raise suspicion, had it not been for multi-layered magical barriers and wards that surrounded the place, with their quality almost rivaling that of Hogwarts itself. Non-magicals and most of magicals wouldn't even be able to find this place, much less enter it, unless someone had prior knowledge of the cottage's location, which this task force did have knowledge of it, thanks to their commander.

Once the leaders of the groups saw that time had come, they began to move towards the line of barriers and wards, with groups hidden by their own wizards and witches, casting charms to silence their approach and hide the, from sight. In under two minutes, all groups have reached their objective's line, when it was the time for the professional barrier breakers, wizards and witches that specialized in disabling or weakening wards and barriers, to do their job. Quiet incantations have begun to be spoken, while the rest of the groups assumed defensive positions near their breakers. Timed to the second, the breakers have managed to disable the wards and barriers' alarms, so as to prevent the owners of the cottage from finding out that they were about to be visited by unwanted guests.

With the alarm out of the way, breakers have finished their job and the group proceeded towards the cottage, now fully visible to them, with all of the windows showing that the owners inside were asleep. Two minutes later, with the groups having converged on their target and linked up, they've placed themselves at the designated entry points to break in and completely secure the place. The commander of this operation gave the green light to them, and they immediately broke in, dispersing in pairs and beginning to check and double-check every nook and cranny of this cottage. It took three minutes for the soldiers to report all clear in nearly all of areas of the cottage, except for one.

"Sir, we have a visual on the targets sir." One of the soldiers contacted their commander, who listed to them. "Workshop, in the cellar. It's best you come and see it for yourself."

"Copy that. Secure the area and assume Overwatch position and maintain it. I'm going in." Commander informed everyone on the radio, before moving inside.

In less than a minute, he had managed to travel the entire house and reached the cellar. The soldiers at the entrance nodded to him and stepped away from the way, letting him to go inside. Once there, the commander now understood why his subordinate had wanted him to see the targets for themselves. Those said targets were plastered on the floor, their bodies breathless and with no signs of life being present. No signs of struggle or violent death, just breathless and lifeless bodies that were plastered on the floor.

Dead bodies, that were once Nicolas and Perenelle Flammel, a married couple of world-wide known alchemists and number one and two respectively on France's most dangerous and watched list. And all because of a single and one of the most important artifacts that they possessed, along with knowledge of how to create one. And they were now here and dead, long before this task force was able to get to them and capture them. The commander silently cursed at that fact, before taking a closer look at the workshop where Flammel pair worked, finding everything of value and interest either removed, or turned into ashes, leaving only general alchemical and potions' creating equipment. Whoever did this was thorough and meticulous, and he or she was someone whom Flammels known and trusted. Trusted to the point of letting this person to enter their most secretive and vital area, which narrowed the list of possible suspects considerably.

"Commander, we've located where they've kept the object. The vault is open and empty. All items have been removed from there in the same timetable as the targets were killed, according to magic. The time of death and retrieval of the object was 7 hours ago." One of the members of task force reported to their Commander.

"Indications of the vault having been opened via magic or through other means, other than the key?" Commander asked of him.

"Negative, sir. Vault was opened through the key, defenses and wards disabled by it or by the owners." He reported.

"Understood. All units, I want the entire place checked and searched for the items of importance in accordance to our secondary objectives. You have five minutes, so get moving. And check the floo portal for the list of locations that linked to it and were active in the past." Commander commanded through the radio, before switching the frequency. "Command, this Seeker 0-1, come in, Command."

_"__This is Command. Report, Seeker 0-1."_ Voice of the commanding officer of the entire operation and forces spoke up.

"Flammels are dead, killed by someone whom they've let in. The Stone is also gone from the vault, with no signs of tempering, and any and all researches and writings have been destroyed or removed by the killer. We were late by 7 hours." The commander informed the Command. "My men are scanning the floo for the list of entries and linked up portals, and are also searching the place for any valuables."

_"__Damn it, we were late!" _Command cursed, before taking a breath and speaking up. _"Finish your search here, Arthur, and proceed to the extraction point. Remove all the signs of your presence from here."_

"Understood, Esdeath." Arthur Pendragon switched his radio back on the frequency of his group, before glancing at Nikolas Flammel's body without much of visible emotion. "Good riddance." Was all that Arthur told him, before stepping out of the cellar.

While the mission was a failure in regard of capturing Flammels and taking all of the research, at least Arthur now knew that one of most hated and wanted enemies of House Pendragon was now dead. At least that had brightened his mood a little bit.

* * *

**France. Jaegers' operational center. Two hours later.**

The withdrawal from the cottage and extraction of the task force went without a hitch, and British Ministry of Magic or British Ministry of Defense never knew that their land had been briefly infiltrated by Jaegers. Unfortunately, their mission was a failure and despite no losses and death of a long time wanted enemy of France, even if he was a largely unknown enemy and was considered one of the greatest French Wizards to ever live, it was still a failure. All that they had managed to recover was the diary of Perenelle Flammel, but it was enough shed some light on what had happened with Nikolas and his wife, as well as point towards the person that had The Philosopher's Stone in the possession, finding which was now the top priority of the French Department Magical Law Enforcement and Internal and External Defenses sub-departments.

For centuries, first House Pendragon and then Ministry of Magic, has been keeping a very close eye on Nikolas Flammel and his studies, researches into alchemy and magic, as well as what he was doing in general and where he moved. It was done not because he was an extremely important person to the French magical society and its people, due to his achievements in alchemy and contributions to the magical society. No, the reason why Nikolas Flammel was watched with zealousness of a crusading knight on pilgrimage to Jerusalem was because his _real_ "achievements" and researches in alchemy that he had done centuries ago.

Very few nowadays know that Nikolas Flammel had once been an ally to House Pendragon and a personal close friend to predecessor of Gawain II the Defender, Lord Eduard II Pendragon, one of the most infamous and atrocious Lords of House Pendragon in history of their bloodline, who had earned himself the nickname The Defiler. The two had been brought together by their insatiable thirst for knowledge and power in the magic, as well as their shared desire for immortality, along with lack of morals in achieving it. The result of their combined researches and practices, which were considered atrocious even by the Dark Wizards, had led to the creation of The Philosopher's Stone, which was supposed to be the key to achieving sought out immortality. While the Magical World was awed and astonished at this creation, few knew the price for its creation that Nikolas and Eduard paid.

Fifty young Wizard and Witches, children even by the standards of the time, with some being of the Pendragon bloodline and even House itself, sacrificed in a ritual that had saw their magical blood drained out their bodies and merged into what later became known as The Philosopher's Stone. That abomination of a thing holds enough power to even rewrite and bend laws of life and death, change reality and its laws on a very small scale and so forth. Nikolas and Eduard had planned to use it as a stepping stone on their path to immortality and power, but their plans were ruined by Gawain Pendragon, a cousin to Eduard at the time, who had uncovered the truth about The Stone and ritual. Having learned that, he managed to gather supporters from all of Pendragon bloodline and struck at Nikolas and Eduard, ending their plans and life of the treacherous Lord Pendragon.

After that, Flammel had been forced to flee France for England, where he started to work for the Wizards and Witches there, producing alchemical chimeras and other monsters that would take part in the Great Magical War years later. Gawain, who was proclaimed Lord Pendragon by the Heads of Successor Houses, would later lead France to victory in it and even will managed to capture Flammel once again and to have him tried, but he wouldn't succeed in having him executed. At the time, the heir to the throne of France, future King Louis XI, had come down with a strange ailment, the nature of which was clearly magical, but none of the Wizards or Witches could cure him.

Only Flammel had managed to succeed, and in return, Charles VII allowed Flammel to go free, much to shock and horror of Gawain II the Defender. The only thing that Lord Pendragon had managed to accomplish in regards to Nikolas is to have him take a magical oath, that he will never again continue his researches in the areas he and Eduard pursued, and that he will never again will set foot in France. Flammel agreed, and since the end of the Great Magical War, he and his wife had relocated to the England, with Pendragons watching them and waiting for anything strange or suspicious, or anything that would give them the reason to get rid of the man. That watch had continued for ever five hundred years without stop, with Pendragons and their Successor Houses patiently waiting and watching Flammels, and then that watch was over.

Through their agents and contacts in England, both French Ministry and House Pendragon had learned, that Nikolas Flammel had suddenly became active in his affairs. He began to secretly inquire about the ingredients for potions and alchemical experiments, searching for artifacts and more. The sudden rush of activeness had alerted Arthur Pendragon and Ministry of Magic, and so Minister Eduard de Brienne had approved a secret operation to capture Flammels and have them placed in custody of Ministry. The operation was to be led by Arthur Pendragon, who had resumed his duties as Commander and second-in-command officer to Esdeath and her Jaegers about three years ago. The plan was well thought and executed, but none of the involved could've suspected that they would be late and that The Philosopher's Stone would be gone.

Arthur, now dressed in his usual garments, stood near the conference table, with Robert Delacour, Francis de Beauclerc and Esdeath near him, all thinking and analyzing what had transpired today. Before Arthur was the diary of Perenelle Flammel, which his subordinates had managed to uncover from the cottage. It was the single thing that had contained _any_ measure of valuable information that could help them, as the person who had killed Flammels had done a very good job of clearing the place of anything of significant value. One could consider it a stroke of luck that this thing was overlooked and that Jaegers were able to acquire it. Arthur had personally studied this thing and once he was done, he had pieced together everything and now had a clear answer to who was the person that killed Flammels and took The Philosopher's Stone.

It was exactly the first person whom Arthur had suspected.

"Taking into the account all the factors, such as the secret location of the cottage, no sign of fighting or broken wards, as well as vault being opened without any trouble, and now the diary, it is clear that Dumbledore is the one who killed the Flammels and took The Stone." Arthur informed them. "In the last weeks Nikolas indeed was preoccupied with something he wanted to research, and they had no idea that we continued monitoring them for so long. The diary also states that Dumbledore has been paying them an increasingly greater number of visits and spent hours talking with Nikolas. She didn't write about the nature of their conversations, but it does hint that those had nature of alchemy and The Stone itself. The log of floo portal confirms that in the last two months, Dumbledore had been visiting them over twenty times from Hogwarts."

"That doesn't fit Dumbledore's profile. Why would he need to kill the Flammels, and why did he take The Stone all of a sudden?" Robert asked out loud. "For nearly 6 years he has been sitting quietly and not getting out of England, even after regaining his position of Chief Warlock of Wizengamot 3 years ago."

"We do know that he has been restoring his influence in the England after his fiasco to get Mordred, and that he had spent a considerable amount of money and effort in the last year to have James and Lily and their son reinstated as House Potter members, at least in the British Magical Society." Esdeath pointed out to him and Arthur. "He may've stopped his attempts at getting to Mordred, but he had definitely not abandoned his general plans. He now simply went from a waiting stage to a more active one."

"And he has also been in contact with the British representative in ICW, discussing and proposing solutions to restoring the trust and relations that England had with the other countries before his blunder." Francis spoke up. "Whatever it is that Dumbledore is planning, it has to be something that will happen soon. And as for those plans to get to Mordred… I wouldn't be so sure as you are."

"You know something that we should be aware of, Francis?" Robert asked of him.

"Nothing concrete and valid, only rumors and half-checked information from second hands, but they all point out towards forcing France and England to reestablish the relations and mend the mistrust that has been between us for years." Francis told them. "And the new Supreme Mugwump might just be interested in pushing to life such an initiative. He certainly is ambitious enough, and more than once I've heard that the exchange students program might be put to use to mend the relations between countries."

"Didn't the ICW put an end to that program after the Hogwarts' students have failed in their exams, while French students literally had protested to return there?" Esdeath asked of them.

"It did, but few like to recall failures like this." Francis stated to them. "While the Supreme Mugwump can press the representatives of countries to reconnect, the decision making is still done by the Confederacy's parliament and by voting. Between me, Spain, Italy, Russia and others, I'm certain that we can stall or subvert anything that he'll try to propose, if it benefits Dumbledore."

"That's good, but that still doesn't answer the question of why did he kill Flammels and take The Stone." Robert reminded them all. "He knew of their location for decades, has been there and was their closest friend and he was Flammel's best student. Why take The Stone _now_ of all times and kill them? There has got to be something that had spurred him into action."

"Perhaps there is something that he had discovered, or awaited?" Arthur suddenly suggested, getting everyone's attention.

"What are suggesting, Arthur?" Esdeath asked of him.

"Let's think: what is the most important objective for Dumbledore to accomplish, besides getting Mordred? What has been driving him into establishing his powerbase and the Order of Phoenix as his essentially enforcers and society of his most loyal followers?" Arthur asked of them. "I think that we all know the answer to that question."

"He was always after Voldemort and wanted to destroy him." Robert spoke up. "Do you think he has managed to find him, or at least what was left of his spirit?"

"Not ask much as find him as much as gain solid knowledge that Voldemort is still out there. And because of that, he may've decided to lure the bastard in with something that Voldemort won't be able to pass on." Arthur told them. "Remember from the records just _what _Flammel was able to do with his Stone? Hordes of chimeras, dozens of golems and entire armies of homunculi, and that's not to mention his more disturbing experiments, like with his Necromancy trials. And all of that was possible thanks to Philosopher's stone, which had also prolonged his life with that Elixir of Life. If Voldemort would want to return in his prime, and I'm certain that he will want to, then he will need a new and strong body."

"And with The Philosopher's Stone in his hand, he will have little to no problem to create himself a new body. It will probably be the same or similar process as creating a homunculus." Robert understood what Arthur meant. "He'll probably set up a trap for Voldemort, in a place that he could easily access, yet also on Dumbledore's home territory. Somewhere, where it would be as obvious as it gets that the Stone is there."

"Which also happens to be the school in which the supposed savior of Britain will be attending in this year." Francis reminded them all. "Remember, that Dumbledore believes in the prophecy and wishes to control it to the best effect. Jamie Potter will be going in to Hogwarts this year, and at the same time The Stone will be there. This is no coincidence, but a carefully laid plan. Dumbledore wants to push the destiny forward and have Jamie confront Voldemort."

"The prophecy could be referring to Mordred, for all we know." Esdeath spoke up again. "This is why Dumbledore is making his moves on the political arena again, but that is not so important to us right now. What is important is to make sure that the Philosopher's Stone and all of the related to its research are retrieved from Dumbledore or destroyed in case of impossibility of retrieving it. Arthur, you've been to Hogwarts and know it better than all of us. Can we sent a team there and have The Stone removed from there?"

"While there are ways of getting past the wards and barriers of Hogwarts, such as through the Forbidden Forest, which seems to obscure and disrupt the work of locating charms and magical wards, it will only get you on the grounds of the castle, but that's where things will get hairy." Arthur began to explain. "Hogwarts is built as a fortress, one in which the Headmaster _always_ knows what is happening and where it takes place, or so the myth goes. It may not be true, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility of detection charms and motion tracking spells being put in place there. That's not to mention thousands of portraits and paintings that work as sort of alarm and surveillance system. And all of them answer to Dumbledore, even if they may say otherwise. Oh, did I mention over 40 ghosts inhabiting the castle? Care to guess whom they all answer to? Sending in a team or even all of Jaegers will be impossible, if we want them to remain hidden and unfound. And that is not to mention that Hogwarts is a large castle, with hundreds of rooms and half as many secret passages and chambers. Not even Marauders' Map knows of them all."

"So in short, there is no way that we can send in a team and hope it would be successful and not found by Dumbledore or someone else." Francis summarized.

"Pretty much, and I just remember that Argus Filch and his maledictum cat Mrs. Norris also seem to be in every place where mischief or something out of order is taking place." Arthur added up to the list. "In short it is pretty much impossible to send in a team there. No, we need to think of something different."

"If we can't send in a group and take the Stone, then we'll have to use less direct methods to get it. Hogwarts may be a fortress, but that doesn't mean it's impenetrable for a deep cover infiltration." Robert thought out loud. "There is a small village near Hogwarts, where students of older years tend to go in their free period. We could send our infiltrators there and start gathering information, before taking the Stone."

"Any large group of infiltrators will be immediately spotted by the locals, and most, if not all, of them are loyal to Dumbledore, with his own brother serving there as his informant, along with the rest of shopkeepers and everyone who owns there some sort of property." Arthur informed Robert. "A single or a few infiltrators may have more success to imbed themselves into community, but that doesn't mean they'll have access to the castle or even its grounds. Inhabitants of Hogsmeade aren't allowed without special permissions from either Deputy Headmaster or Headmaster, and even then then they are to be escorted by someone from the staff. You could try and sneak into Hogwarts from one of the secret passages that are in Hogsmeade, but then you run into the earlier discussed problem of sticking out as sore thumb in the middle of Hogwarts."

"Is there any way we can possibly sway one of the teachers to our side, or to imbed our agent as one of the staff members? I heard that Hogwarts is constantly looking for a new teacher every year." Francis offered his piece of mind to the discussion.

"The cursed spot of professor of Defense Against Dark Arts, while viable, I doubt that it'll work. I suspect that Dumbledore actually counts on Voldemort actually taking this route to get into the castle. And Voldemort will probably take it, as he'll make sure to do the stealing himself, possibly through a possession of someone." Arthur thought of it. "And the rest of the staff is loyal to Dumbledore and won't help us out in any way. Plus, Dumbledore would check through his sources every new addition to teaching staff. No, that road is closed for us."

"Then what, we've got no way in for us?" Robert asked of Arthur.

"We may not be able to get inside, but that doesn't mean that someone can't get inside. They just have to be able to get past the wards, have enough time to learn the layout of the building, identify where the Stone is and be able to retrieve them, without raising too much suspicion and be able to blend in if need be." Esdeath told them all, with Arthur and Robert looking with curiosity at her. "All this time we were looking at thought of sending in a grown up infiltrator, but what if we were to send in someone who isn't a grown up? What if we were able to send in someone who could pass up as a student and who would be able to get the Stone for us?"

"Are you saying that we would need to use someone who is not even an adult for this job, Esdeath?" Robert asked of her. "Are you serious about this?"

"Quite so. If given proper training, viable instructions and good motivation, anyone can accomplish anything, even someone who isn't an adult." Esdeath said to Robert with complete confidence. "We just need to find someone and…"

"That plan won't work either, because Hogwarts also has a special book that contains the name of every Wizard or Witch in the British Isles, along with those that have already been accepted into Hogwarts." Arthur informed Esdeath and Robert. "And trying to find someone among the British is too much of a risk, even if we try and approach one of our friends in there. I doubt that Brian will want to put his daughter in danger for our own purposes, even if promise him that Mordred will marry into his family. And don't even think about involving into it someone from Light or Dark: first will sell us to Dumbledore, the others will do the same _and _try to claim the Stone for themselves. No, we need to find another way to infiltrate the Hogwarts…"

"From what you've just described to us, it pretty much sounds like there is no way for us to get inside." Francis noted out, until a thought struck him. "That is… Unless we _do_ go with Esdeath's plan of action."

"You did hear what Arthur just explained to us just now, didn't you?" Robert told him.

"True, but what if the student or students weren't from the British Isles. What if they are foreign exchange students who were sent into Hogwarts as part of diplomatic efforts to mend relations between Britain and other countries?" Francis offered to them his plan. "Dumbledore has been pushing for this program to be accepted, so why don't we let him have this win? It will open us the doors inside Hogwarts and will let the infiltrators get inside."

"That may be so, but he will probably only ever accept this program if Mordred happens to be the part of the deal. The entire point of him pushing for that program is to get his hands on Mordred, and that's…" Arthur spoke up, but was interjected.

"Then we'll send Mordred in Hogwarts." Esdeath suddenly spoken with firm voice, and she didn't even flinch when Arthur looked with fury and shock at her. "Dumbledore wants to get his hands on the boy and get him under his thumb. He probably believes that he can turn him against us and make him into a weapon for him to use, not to mention to use him to make the prophecy into what he wants it to be. I say we let him do so, play along with his wishes and use them to our own advantage. And we couldn't even ask for the better candidate for an infiltration mission in Mordred."

"Esdeath, I hope you've hit your head on something, because you are not making a whole lot of sense to me. If you think that I will just let you send my son into the pit of snakes, then you are sorely mistaken. Mordred has nothing to do with this war and our feud with Dumbledore." Arthur adamantly was against it.

"That boy, no, that young man has _everything_ to do with this war and Dumbledore, Arthur. Like it or not, but he is a part of it and he already has a written part to play in it." Esdeath reminded Arthur of the prophecy, who glared at her for reminding of it. "Unfortunately for us all, but it looks like Mordred's destiny is sooner or later to clash with Voldemort, and the way I see it, right now he can take the bastard on and finish him off. He has been training almost 7 years in The Old Way, and under Raven Branwen of all people, one of few whom I actually respect. And don't forget that he was also trained by me for some time and Grayfia in usage of magic. Couple that with what he learned under Branwen, and you have a perfect candidate for the job. Just teach him a few more things, give him the right instructions, and as for motivation we don't even need to bother, since he has more than enough reason to do what needs to be done."

"I will not send Mordred in Hogwarts alone!" Arthur's magic flared up, with his Mana Burst scorching the table and scaring a little Robert and Francis. "Like it or not, Esdeath, but I will not let you have send my son in there, and if I have to fight you, then I will." Arthur was clearly not joking about it.

"If that's how you want to play it, Arthur, then so be it." Esdeath too wasn't backing down, as she unsheathed her sword, with temperature in the air dropping several degrees already.

"Stop it, both of you!" Robert suddenly yelled at them both, putting a stop to the fight before it began. "As much as I may not like to admit it, but Esdeath's plan, so far, sounds as the only one that has not just a chance for a success, but a seriously good chance to be a total success. Dumbledore or anyone for that matter knows that we are aware about the Stone being in hands of Dumbledore and Voldemort being after it, and we know where to look for it. Dumbledore also wasn't aware of the surveillance over Flammels and so he has no way of knowing that we know now what he did. And even if so, he will expect Mordred to stumble upon the Stone one way or the other."

"Robert…" Arthur tried to speak up, but wasn't allowed.

"He isn't a small defenseless kid anymore, Arthur, but a fully trained and prepared warrior of The Old Way, someone who outclasses even some of our Paladins and can be a challenge to handle even for someone as powerful as Voldemort in his prime. Hell, Raven had even taken him on her hunts for werewolves, Dark Wizards and more." Robert argued with Arthur. "He was trained and practically raised by Raven into a perfect witch hunter and someone who can kill anything. I've seen how she trained him and with what she had him trained as well, and his training matches and even surpasses that of Jaegers in many aspects. Even mentally he is a fighter and warrior, a Dragon-Blooded Pendragon Knight if you want. And we need to get the Stone out from Hogwarts or have it destroyed, because if Dumbledore or Voldemort figure out how to use it… We could be looking at a possible next Great Magical War, Arthur. Either that, or we prevent it."

Arthur looked at Robert and Esdeath, and as much as he may've wanted to argue with them, he couldn't deny the fact that they were speaking truth when it came to their task and about his son. Mordred indeed had the very best chances of getting it done, and he had all the necessary training and preparations for any sort of confrontation that he may encounter in Hogwarts. His believes were strengthened and solid as the steel of Excalibur, while his magic was sharpened to the same edge as that of Pendragon Dragon-Blooded Knights, as the members of his House were known in the days when The Old Ways weren't as old or forgotten as they are now.

His son had undergone training and preparation as tough and brutal as it comes, and there is no denying the fact that Mordred had triumphed and flourished under Raven, Grayfia and Esdeath into a warrior that House Pendragon hasn't seen in generations. Just his mastery of sword and magic, how he moved and fought… The ferocity and power transformed into a single being, one that would be not just acceptable to the idea, but eager to do what needed to be done. Arthur knew that Mordred wouldn't stop from a chance to take the fight to Dumbledore and Voldemort, to mess up their plans and also deliver a heavy blow on the enemies of their House, not to mention a chance to put the final nail in the coffin of Flammel and his legacy.

Arthur clenched his fists, before releasing them and dropping into a seat. The choice was obvious and need to accomplish the goal was inescapable. He needed to make this choice and he made it.

"We can't just send him there alone, without support or a possible way out of Britain, if things get messy." Arthur finally relented and agreed with them. "He will need someone he can trust while there, maybe not in Hogwarts proper, but maybe in Hogsmeade. Not to mention that we will need to make it look believable, create enough visible evidence that House Pendragon and Mordred are forced to bury the hatchet with Dumbledore. And not to forget preparations…"

"We'll imbed an agent or two on long-term basis in Hogsmeade, but whom to send will fall onto you, Arthur. I hope you have someone who can do it." Robert told him.

"I have a few persons in mind for the job." Arthur confirmed, as he rose up. "I'll break the news to him and my family."

"I believe I can make up the needed moves to make the exchange program a reality, but we'll also have to make Dumbledore that House Pendragon will relent and stop its animosity against Britain and him."

"And we've got the perfect way to feed him this lie. Madame Maxime will feed it to him just as she has been doing so for the past years." Arthur told them. "We need to plan it all well, every detail, every possibility and outcome…"

"And we will, Arthur. Just one question, and I need an honest answer from you: _is_ Mordred capable of doing what is needed?" Esdeath demanded to know from Arthur, and he answered only one thing he could.

"He is."

* * *

**Been a long time since I've posted two chapters within one week, but I felt a rush of inspiration and I couldn't keep myself away from the keyboard. So now you have one more chapter this week, and a beginning for a new arc, so to speak. We are now in the timeline of the books and I believe I have made my reasoning as to why Mordred will go to Hogwarts sound enough. Hope you like it, and even if you don't, then make sure to tell me your opinion.**

**Just as always, stay safe and sound you all out there and good luck.**

**Next time: Breaking the news; Preparing for school.**

**See ya soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

**May 13****th****. France. Branwen's training field.**

The loud sound of steel clashing with each other filled the air around the clearing, with small clouds of dust rising from the feet quickly moving upon it, while the master was watching her students fighting. Raven sat on the stone just out of bounds of the ring, watching and observing her trainees and pupils fighting in a purely physical fight, without any magical enhancements and spells being thrown at each other. She knew that the two were more than capable enough of using magic in the heat of battle, having learned the Old Way, but she demanded that they learned not to rely on solely on magic and its power to win the day. Without the magic, even a practitioner of the Old Way can be overcome, if he or she isn't properly trained in the proper ways of fighting and isn't used to the weight, stress and demand of the fight. And Raven made sure that her students knew it from the start of her teaching them.

Mordred moved to the right, his short sword in the left hand moved the outstretched xiphos away, trying to expose one of the sides of his opponent to for the strike from his main weapon, a long sword in his right hand. He wasn't successful, as Pyrrha simply moved ahead and smashed her shield into Mordred's frame, locking with him in a struggle of strength, as he stood his ground against her, but with ability to move his long sword for the attack. Or so she had hopped, as Mordred suddenly dropped his longsword from his hand, before sneaking his hand behind the round shield of Pyrrha, unclipping the holding and grabbing it. Realizing what he was doing, she decided to kick him away, but in doing so she lost her shield, while Mordred was now without his longsword.

Though his main weapon was lost, he didn't hesitate to pull out another short sword from his belt behind him, while Pyrrha's sword handle suddenly extended and now instead of a Greek sword xiphos she held with both her hands a spear that was the length of a Greek dory spear. While making Mordred lose his longsword was a good thing, Pyrrha knew that Mordred had made that sacrifice knowing full well that the tradeoff was his favor. Her style of combat relied entirely on the combination of her weapons, Miló and Akoúo̱, and using the balanced mix of solid defense and steady offence, with Miló being either in its spear or sword form, while Akoúo protected her. She wasn't quite as versed in utilization of her weapon without the other, but with her Akoúo she would still be able to keep Mordred at a distance.

The problem, as Pyrrha understood it, was trying to land a solid hit on Mordred without him blocking or dodging her spear. While Mordred's defensive prowess when compared to Pyrrha, he made up for it with mobility and agility, as well as having monstrous strength on his side. He traded off the ability to defend himself with a shield for a chance to do as much damage as possible. Even without magic to support them, Pyrrha knew that Mordred was far stronger than her in physical plan, and had speed to back it up. She needed to keep him at bay, lest he takes her down.

Mordred made his move against Pyrrha, moving towards her with his weapons ready to strike. Pyrrha twirled her spear around her and sent it in a slashing motion at Mordred's left. He didn't dodge, but instead he redirected away from himself, causing Pyrrha to switch momentum and opening her up for an attack. But that's where Mordred made a mistake, as Pyrrha had used the gained momentum in her favor and by stepping a couple of paces back, she brought the spear back towards Mordred at his right. Mordred only managed to move to his left and away at the last second, nearly getting hit by it, but with that he lost his initiative.

Pyrrha had brought back her spear and began to take the initiative on Mordred, swiftly bringing her spear against him and trying to strike at him in quick succession. Mordred dodged the first two strikes and blocked the third, before trying seize the opportunity and strike, as he moved towards Pyrrha again, bypassing her spear. She instead of backing down retracted the spear and formed her xiphos again, meeting Mordred's attack with her own. Mordred's advantage was the number of weapons her had against Pyrrha, as well as the ability to block her own with one of his and attack with the other one, but Pyrrha wasn't someone who was going to let him do so.

Mordred's first attack was a wide slashing arc at Pyrrha, seemingly leaving himself open as he strikes with his left arm from right to left, but Pyrrha knew it was a trap, as his right was in place for a counter or block. Instead of a block with or a dodge, Pyrrha moves to Mordred's left as he attacks, catching his left arm with her hand, putting herself in the position of attack at his side. She expected him to move his right hand with the sword to try and disengage her, but instead she was taken by a complete surprise by the next move Mordred pulled on Pyrrha. His left foot kicked Pyrrha's foot off the ground, surprising her and costing her the advantage. The next thing she knew, Pyrrha hit the dirt and Mordred straddled her waist, with his knees blocking her arms and both short swords at her throat. Understanding the position, she was in, Pyrrha resigned, as well as blushed, as while she didn't like losing, she was content at the fact of seeing Mordred's face so close to her own and just one move of her head away from kissing him.

"I yield." Pyrrha said with a tired breath, with Mordred smiling to her, his entire visage changing back to a normal one from a focused and determined warrior posture, as he helped Pyrrha up. "I thought I had you back there, like in our last fight."

"You almost did, but after the fight, I figured out that move worked both ways and tried it out." Mordred told Pyrrha, as they've picked up their weapons. "This makes, what, 49 to 47?"

"49 to 48, don't steal my wins for yourself." Pyrrha jokingly shoved him aside, with Mordred chuckling. "I heard your father got home late into the night yesterday, and I didn't see him or Lady Aries at the breakfast."

"Yeah, they were discussing something important, from what Grayfia told me. Right before I left for the training, Mama said that there will be a family gathering today, with you and your Mom also being asked to be there." Mordred told Pyrrha, who looked puzzled at Mordred. "Don't look at me. All I know is that Papa has made some serious decision and wishes to announce it to us. That, and that Mama wasn't all too happy about it."

"You don't think that he has… to find you a bride?" Pyrrha asked in a bit of a shy manner, with a small blush on her cheeks, making Mordred quirk up his brow up. "I-I mean, you are his son and most Houses make these sorts of arrangements when their heirs reach up the age of fourteen to fifteen."

"Most may do that, but not our family, and I have it on good authority that Papa is as opposed to such an idea as an arrange marriage form me as is Mama." Mordred told Pyrrha, who seemed a bit relieved to hear it. "Besides, even if it an arranged marriage, he would've picked up someone whose House he knows he can trust and count as his friend, or someone from the Branch Families, which is more likely, if you ask me."

"Like Daphne Greengrass, or Fleur?" Pyrrha asked of him, but before Mordred could reply, Raven spoke up.

"You can get a room later, after we are done here, lovebirds." Raven made Pyrrha blush up, while Mordred didn't wait from a retort.

"Coming from a bird herself, that's quite a suggestion." Mordred replied with a challenging smirk, while Pyrrha widened her eyes at what he just said, now getting embarrassed.

"And one you two should finally take, because I'm getting tired of all the tension up in the air between you two." Raven retorted, before speaking in a more serious tone. "But that's your problem, not mine to deal with. On the more serious note, I have to congratulate you two: you've finally managed to pull off a half-decent fight and not make me want yawn." Translating into simpler terms, it meant that Raven was proud of them.

"Thank you, Teacher." Pyrrha bowed respectfully before Raven, with Mordred doing the same.

"Yeah, thanks me for training you dimwits into half-decent fighters." Raven smiled a little. "Now, we are done for today, and tomorrow you can do whatever strikes your fancy, as the brits would say. I'll be going on a bit of hunting, so don't come looking for me till Monday. Class dismissed, so stop gawking and get moving." Both Pyrrha and Mordred nodded to her, before disappearing from the clearing, using Apparation.

"So, what do you think? Can he do it?" Esdeath finally revealed her presence in the open, with Raven turning to face her. "He certainly looks like he can put up a fight, but can he manage to complete the mission without failing it."

"If you are asking me, if I would send him on that crazy mission of yours into Hogwarts, then my answer is no, I wouldn't send him there." Raven told Esdeath, who frowned at her words. "Sending him into a hostile territory, where Dumbledore and everyone will _know_ that he is there, with them watching his every move, waiting and biding their time for a strike. Might not be a direct one, but a poison in a cup, a pillow in the sleep, or they could charm him into their good little puppet. You must have gone barking mad, you and Arthur both, if you think that sending Mordred there is a good idea."

"It is the only option we have left and if we don't get the Stone…"

"Don't start about it again. I know all about the Philosopher's Stone and Flammel." Raven said. "You've already decided to send him, haven't you?"

"We did, but we need to know if he can pull it off." Esdeath repeated herself, with Raven still glaring at her, but answering.

"Can he go there and find the Stone, as well as retrieve it and get it to you, _regardless _the position he will find himself in… Mordred can do it." Raven had answered to Esdeath. "I've taught him everything, from control of magic to fighting, and he learned it all. In a fight against your typical wizard, he'll win in 8 times out of 10, if he decides to fight like most of those morons do. If he fights as I taught him, he'll win even against Voldemort in whatever form he will be. His mental defenses are near impenetrable and with his physical training and adaptation his body went through in the course of training, he can withstand a number of poisons and potions, but not all of them. He learned how to control his emotions and anger, so he can focus on what is really important and needed to be done. And he does have the mentality to do what needs to be do, but that will not be enough to guarantee that this plan of yours will succeed."

"He will have additional training, and there will be a contact in the village nearby, someone whom he will be able to trust. When the time is right and he finds the Stone, he'll be out of Hogwarts without any delay." Esdeath assured Raven.

"That's not what I mean, Esdeath. Mordred can be tough as nails, and I made sure he was like that, but nails bend and break. Especially under amount pressure and distress you plan to put on Mordred's shoulders." Raven pointed out to Esdeath. "Even if he has someone out there in the Village, it won't mean jack shit if he doesn't have someone who he knows will have his back and can support him. A lone warrior, surrounded by enemies that know who he is, watching his every move and knowing that he will do something to them… That kind of pressure will break even a spy, and Mordred is no James Bond."

"If you have a suggestion, then be my guest and voice it. I am open to hear whatever idea you have." Esdeath admitted to her, with Raven sighing.

"Arthur mention that exchange program or whatever it's called. Countries will be sending their children into Hogwarts to be taught there, right?" Esdeath nodded to Raven. "Use that opportunity and send a protection unit with those children. A group of Aurors, formed from members of countries that participate in this nonsense and have them provide protection to the kids. You can imbed plenty of trustworthy folks there, and Dumbledore and his puppet of a Minister won't say a thing, if they want Mordred."

"Dumbledore and others will watch every move of Aurors and they won't be able to effectively search for the Stone." Esdeath told Raven, who was starting to frown again, but then Esdeath understood why Raven suggested it. "But they will be able to serve as a deterrent against Dumbledore and his cronies and will prevent them from influencing him and the other children, as well as defending him if something were to happen. Arthur will approve of that, and others will so too."

"Good to know there is still some brain behind all those legs and boobs of yours." Raven commented, with Esdeath not being amused.

"Are you looking for a fight, Raven?" Esdeath asked of her.

"Name the time and place, dominatrix, but before you get all hot and bothered, there's one more thing you need to do." Raven told Esdeath. "You'll send Pyrrha with Mordred."

"And why would we do that, and why would Juno approve of it?" Esdeath asked of Raven.

"Because, aside from his parents, Grayfia, Raynare and me, he trusts her the most and she knows him best, better than any agent you can imbed in Hogwarts. And she is on the same level as Mordred when it comes to training, even if she started out a year later than he did." Raven told Esdeath. "And like it or not, but that girl will follow Mordred to hell and back and pull him out of the deepest gutter hole. She'll go to Hogwarts with him even if you try and stop her, and not even Juno and Valerio will be much of an obstacle for her."

"Why? Because she's got a crush on him?" Esdeath almost mockingly asked of Raven. "The last thing we need for the operation is an embarrassed shy girl that can't say a word in front of a guy, much less hold hands with him or, God forbid, kiss him."

"That girl has beaten Mordred on the ring and went through same training as he did, even to the point of killing. And she may be a goody two shoes girl, but she is as loyal as they get and then some, and she will do whatever it takes to keep Mordred safe, because he isn't just her friend, but a guy who helped her become who she is now. She might not be able to finally make a move on him, but don't underestimate her, Esdeath." Raven told her in full seriousness. "With Pyrrha by his side, Mordred will know there is someone whom he can fully trust and who will have his back. That kind of support always goes a long way to improving the odds. The Old Way or not, if he is out there alone and with no one to turn to, he _will_ break, or worse."

"Worse?" Esdeath asked of Raven.

"He'll give into his worst impulses, and then there will be a bloodbath. Not a figurative one, but a literal, with bodies, guts spilled all over the Great Hall and all of that sort of stuff." Raven informed Esdeath. "Remember what those fuckers did to him all those years ago? That sort of thing can't be forgotten and is never forgiven, and Mordred _never _forgotten or forgiven. He still has that rage and anger for what had happened to him burning inside of him. Now couple that with constant presence of those bastards near him, with people goading and mocking him for being who he is, as well as being alone out there, and now add up to it Pendragons' infamous draconian blood, and you'll have yourself a massacre on bigger scale than whatever Voldemort had pulled off in his best day."

"You know, Raven, if I didn't know you like I do, I'd start to think that you've grown sentimental in your ripe middle age. You almost sound like you care for that boy, as if he were more than just a student." Esdeath noted with a note of amusement. "Could it be that tough, no-nonsense Raven Branwen has discovered her own maternal instinct? What would your husband and daughter say about that?"

"They'll say to get lost, and as for you." Raven stepped closer to Esdeath. "I don't give a damn about what this whole operation is about, but if Mordred ends up dying or worse, because of your plan, then no ice magic, no Jaegers and no amount of cannon fodder will stop me from making you pay, Esdeath. Got that?"

"Crystal." Esdeath's reply was just as crisp and clear as the word she said.

And she was going to keep to her word. As much as she had pushed for this mission and wanted it to be given a green light, she knew that Mordred has had enough of dealings with Dumbledore and the Order of Phoenix. Hell, she herself both pitied and respected him for what he has been through and managing not to go completely insane. Few people could count themselves as having earned Esdeath's respect, with Raven, as much as Esdeath herself may not agree with it, being one of them. And Esdeath knew that if Raven promised to do something, she was going to do it, and Esdeath, while entertaining a thought of having a fight with Raven, wasn't going to make her a permanent enemy.

For now, she was content with having her as a worthy competitor and sparring partner, which Esdeath also had very few in supply. With all of her work here being complete, Esdeath apparated out of the training clearing to Arthur and Robert, intending to share the idea that Raven has given to them.

* * *

**Château de Pendragon. Lord Pendragon's personal study. Several hours later.**

The whole of House Pendragon, along with House Delacour and House Medici, accompanied by Esdeath Raynare, Sona and Grayfia, were assembled and seated in the personal study of Arthur, while he, Robert and Esdeath explained to them all the situation and what they were going to do about it. And it was clear that the situation was not to the liking of the people present here, as all of members of Pendragon bloodline knew very well about Nickolas Flammel and his Philosopher's Stone. If an artifact of such power and magnitude were to get into the wrong hands, the damage done by utilizing it could be just as catastrophic as it was in the Great Magical War, if not worse.

Mordred, having taken a great deal of interest in history of the magical and non-magical world years ago, knew very well from the records in library about the armies of homunculi and other deformed atrocities that Flammel had unleashed upon France. And if even half of tales that Grayfia and some of the older Nephilims have shared with Mordred were true, and he had no reason to doubt the validity of his sources, then the man most certainly deserved to die, but along with his creation. If it were to fall into the hands of Dumbledore or Voldemort would mean facing the prospect of an imminent conflict on a large scale, with hundreds of lives being at stake. At this time, Mordred along with his brother and sisters and parents agreed that the Stone was better off destroyed and gone for good.

Speaking of Mordred and others of younger generation, the years since their confrontation with Dumbledore and the Order, along with Potters, have been gracious and good to them, as they've all grown up and matured. Gawain stood tall and proud, looking a spitting image of his father, though with blue eyes of his mother, which didn't diminish his noble charm and added to the aura of princely nature he seemed to possess. While his father pursued the carrier in the defense of his country, and his mother now headed the medical progress of France, Gawain served as a diplomat, being assigned maintaining and improving relations with various magical races.

While his carrier only began five years ago, he had already worked closely with Nephilims, Centaurs, Veelas, Goblins and some other races, with his schedule being often quite packed with meetings and diplomatic visits, as well as serving as an aid to the consul or ambassador. Needless to say, Gawain has been very busy and productive in his work, earning him high praises and good reputation as a capable negotiator and a valued specialist in regards to close to humans' magical races.

Where Gawain worked in the area of diplomacy and bringing together people, Morgan found first had found her calling also in law enforcement, like her father. She had finished the Beauxbatons with flying colors and had passed the tests for the admittance into the Aurors' First Response Division. While her service was good and record was relatively clean, Morgana found herself not often obeying orders and clashing in opinions with her superiors, especially if they liked to act as arses. After over three years of tumultuous service in the Aurors' First Response Division, Morgan had been transferred into Search and Elimination Division.

While the former could classified as the general purpose Aurors, the latter is a more specialized unit, created for finding and eliminating dangerous elements of the society, such as Dark Wizards. She now basically served in the magical analog of FBI, with Morgan liking her new service place far more. In terms of looks, she was lean and athletic, having not inherited her mother's curves, but still developing a beauty of her own, one that may not be considered classical for a lady, but was still as appealing in comparison.

Charlotte had grown into a beautiful young lady, with her looks greatly mirroring those of her mother, but with the long golden hair of her father, made into a tail behind her and some of it framing her left side of the face, and with a pair of rimless glasses adoring her face. While she still looked like she was growing and going through her growth spurt, when compared to the other ladies in the room, she was already quite a beauty that attracted the attention of admirers and suitors from both first-generation and Noble Houses. Already Arthur and Aries had to decline a number of invitations from many Houses, in which they specifically asked to bring along Charlotte.

Everyone knew that this was nothing short of an examination of sort, to get the understanding and feel of the possible future bride-to-be, and Lord and Lady Pendragon wanted none of that for their precious youngest child. And Charlotte was more than glad that this was the case, as she found such events bothersome and boring for her tastes, preferring peace and quiet of a library and the expanses of books, of which Charlotte had more than enough to last a lifetime. Some would say that she was a bookworm, but none would dare to say so in front of her, as those were too frightened of either Morgan or Mordred, if not both at once.

Fleur and Pyrrha both have also grown in quite the beauties in their own right too. Fleur looked like an angel made real, with her platinum blonde hair, a model-like figure and appearance, which was amplified by her Veela blood, helping her to reach physical maturity quicker than most Wizards and Witches. This has earned her the ire and envy from her female peers in Beauxbatons, which was only amplified by the academic prowess she displayed in her studies. And Fleur was most well aware of her looks and appeal that she produced, yet wanted all of that to be directed towards a specific someone, for whose attention she had to compete.

And Fleur's competition was none other than Pyrrha, who without a doubt could be called a rival in beauty and smarts to Fleur. While Fleur had grown and matured to be akin to an angel, delicate and precious, Pyrrha had grown into a goddess, with her long flaming red hair made into a ponytail, with her head adorned by a bronze looking ringlet, emerald eyes, toned and athletic body. Like a Greek Goddess of ancient mythos, Pyrrha could claim the attention of all that looked upon her, stunning and leaving speechless most. Years of intensive training in the Old Way had not diminished her looks, instead enhancing them and adding appeal, making Pyrrha appear like an Amazon. And with fit body, came sharp and swift mind, that had allowed Pyrrha to excel in her studies and theories. All of that allows her to match Fleur in seeking attention of the one they both have their eyes upon.

And as for the man himself, Mordred stood as tall as his father, and just as broad in shoulders as he was, despite his age being the same as his younger sister. Training under Raven in the Old Ways, magical concentration and channeling while learning under Grayfia, along with strong draconian blood and Nephilim heritage had significantly affected his growth, in the positive side. Instead of a teen, Mordred looked like a young adult, who stood as an exemplary dream-like prince, with long free silver hair that reached to his shoulders, blue like ocean depths eyes and a face of a royal prince. Just as Gawain radiated charm and aura of nobility, so too did Mordred, though one could sense the raw power behind him. Built like a warrior of legends and trained to fight such, Mordred was a warrior, first and foremost, with even his looks admitting it. Few would be able to predict that one barely living and thin as a twig child would stand as tall and strong as some of the Knights of the Round Table of the legends past, though he may not share some of the values of the knight.

Mordred's character has developed into one of fierce loyalty and fiercer temper, as well as fearlessness and cunning, coupled with unforgiving nature and a certain degree of rebelliousness. Mordred wasn't someone who didn't listen or mocked others, but he wasn't someone to take orders and opinions of those that didn't earn his respect, and he didn't care for what those thought of him. He cared only for his friends, those that earned his respect and his family, and everyone else was out of his consideration. Such traits could be difficult to deal with, so it was a good thing that he usually was a pretty calm and easy person, but when stressed… Draconian blood ran thick and boiling, as Galahad had told Mordred about him.

It took some time for Arthur, Robert and Esdeath to explain what had happened and their plan to reclaim the Philosopher's Stone, with most of the present in here being shocked at the fact that they would consider sending Mordred into Hogwarts. Aries, Juno and Apolline openly protested such a decision, finding support with Gawain and Charlotte, while Morgan stayed neutral in this one, but it was clear that she wasn't supporting this idea. Valerio had tried to offer alternatives, but it quickly turned out that there were no alternatives that could succeed. And throughout all this time, Mordred simply kept quiet about it all, something that drew concerned looks from Pyrrha and Fleur, who didn't know Mordred for keeping quiet about something as important. Before the arguing could get worse, Mordred finally spoke up.

"I'll go there." And that immediately put an end to the talking in a second, as all eyes were locked onto him. "What, didn't you hear what Papa and Esdeath told us? Dumbledore got the Stone, and Voldemort is after it, and there is no other way to get it. If me going there is what will be needed to get it, then I'll go."

"Mordred, you must be out of your mind to think that we will allow this to happen!" Juno rose up and stated to him. "Don't you realize the sheer amount of danger you will be put in? Just what has that mercenary has been filling your and my daughter's head with if you are so eager to go in that place…"

"The only things she has been filling our heads are related to how to survive and fight, as well as be victorious, Juno. And don't think that I'm relishing the idea of going there just to get my blood pumping faster. There's a duty to be done for our family and bloodline, and it must be done." Mordred suddenly stated to her. "The Stone has claimed lives of Pendragons and members of our bloodline, and our House had helped create it. Even if it was hundreds of years ago, that doesn't mean that we are exempt from the duty of destroying it, and besides that… There is a more recent grudge that needs to be settled, and an injustice that needs to be corrected."

"What injustice are you talking about, Mordred?" Charlotte asked of him, with Morgan replying for her.

"The injustice of Voldemort having nearly wiped out House Pendragon, killing the previous Lord and near all of his heirs, safe for our father, Euphemia Potter and her son, James." Morgan reminded to her sister about it, before sighing and turning towards her younger brother. "Mordred, look, I get it and understand what you feel about it. I myself feel my blood boil when I think about it, but that doesn't mean that you can just drop everything and go ahead with claiming vengeance. Especially if that said vengeance comes in circumstances such as these. I'm sorry, brother, but I'm with Mom on this one. Better if we find another way."

"Wait, you did say that you will be sending a joint group of Aurors from all countries that will participate in this exchange program, right?" Valerio recalled. "If that is the case, then why not have your people in them do the searching and retrieval of the Stone? They'll have plenty of time and room to move around the castle without much opposition."

"Because there will definitely be opposition to their free roaming, and not just in form of portraits and ghosts informing Dumbledore of their every move, but also in form of Aurors that are stationed in Hogwarts itself." Robert informed them all. "I've just gotten a hold of this information, that a special detachment from the Aurors' Department has been permanently positioned inside the school as of 3 years ago. And from just the names of some Aurors that are posted there, I've confirmed that the majority of those Aurors, if not all of them, are the Order's members and supporters. While officially they are under command of one Kingsley Shacklebolt, the real person in charge is actually our old pal, James Not-So-Potter, who has been working in Hogwarts as "security consultant and advisor."

"How did you even manage to get your hands on such vital information?" Gawain asked of Robert, mostly out of curiosity.

"Let's just say, that Dumbledore has made himself more enemies than he realizes with his Order and their dealings in the past." Robert told them. "One of them wouldn't mind if the old bugger were to be humbled a bit, along with his cabal being dismantled, or at the very least, diminished and lessened in power."

"This kind of information would have to come by from someone either inside Hogwarts, or from someone very high up in the Ministry." Aries noted out, turning to Robert. "Can you even trust the validity of this information?"

"I trust the source of it, and I know for sure that it is on our side, even if it will not show it directly." Robert assured Aries, before turning towards Mordred. "However, let's not get distracted from our primary discussion here. Mordred, while we had hoped that you would agree with us, I can't help but feel like there is more to your sudden rush of going in there on our behalf. Understand, that it isn't our intention to put you in purposefully in danger…"

"Yet that is exactly what you plan to do anyway, especially knowing about the prophecy!" Apolline angrily stated, before understanding what she had blurted out, with Fleur, Pyrrha, Charlotte and Valerio looking at her with perplexed expressions.

"Prophecy? What kind of prophecy do you mean, Mama?" Fleur asked of her. "Is there some kind of prophecy that was made in relation to Mordred? Mama, Papa, what are you withholding from us and Mordred?"

"There was a prophecy made by one Sybille Trelawney, the contents of which are known only fully to Dumbledore, but a part of it is known to Voldemort as well. The prophecy is linked towards either me, or Jaime, and it's because of that prophecy that Voldemort attacked on that night. And he targeted me specifically on that night." Mordred suddenly stated to them all, surprising his parents and everyone in here. "I'm sorry for withholding this, but I've managed to recall everything about the night of Voldemort's attack, right to the point before he tried to strike me down with the _Avada Kedavra_. Right before he did that, he said that he couldn't believe me to be his future doom. If I were to take a guess, the prophecy foretells the fall of the Dark Lord, and he believes me to be the person to kill him."

"Mordred, wh-when did you manage to remember it? You told us that you didn't remember a thing about that day, and a-are you sure that you were the one whom Dark Lord struck with _Avada Kedavra_?" Aries asked of him in shock.

"A few years back, when Raven started training my mental defenses and teaching me Occlumency. I was able to recall the night itself, and I remember the shock and terror of that night when I saw how Grandmother threw herself in front of Voldemort to defend against his spell." Mordred said with pain in his voice, but also building rage. "And when I recall that scene… I just… I feel enraged, furious and extreme desire to make that bastard pay for taking her away! My blood screams that I must find and kill him for all he has done and make those bastards pay for what they did to me!" Mordred almost roared, his magic flaring up a little bit, surprising all that were here, before he subsided it, before Grayfia spoke up.

"The Blood Call of Mordred." Grayfia suddenly stated to them all, gaining universal attention. "It is a very rare thing, linked to the Mana Burst, that has been known to happen among members of Pendragon bloodline. As you all know full well, family magic connects members of House Pendragon and its successor House through the blood, even if they have long strayed in terms of blood relations. This is one of the reasons why Pendragon bloodline stands so strong and united, but there is another side to it as well. If a great injustice or crime had been committed towards a Pendragon bloodline, then some of the members will start to sense extreme rage and desire to rectify it, to seek out and destroy those that have done harm to House Pendragon and its members. Mordred the Avenger was the first to hear it, which had led him to go to war against Merlin and his own father, King Arthur."

"And there is what, no way of resisting it? And why haven't we all heard of it happen before?" Juno asked of Grayfia, but Sona answered instead.

"I had encountered only 4 occurrences throughout the entirety of House Pendragon's history, including that of the successor House, which fall under the description of the Blood Call. The last occurrence had happened to be one of future Lord Gawain II the Defender hunting down and killing his father, Lord Eduard II the Defiler." Sona informed them all, with Grayfia continuing.

"Each Blood Call has been sensed by some of the strongest members of Pendragon bloodline in the generation, with Mordred the Avenger and Lord Gawain II the Defender known as two of the strongest members of House Pendragon, and both were holders of Mana Burst." Grayfia informed them all, turning towards Mordred. "If the Blood Call is heard by Mordred, then there is little we can do to stop him from hearing or going. We can only allow him to go."

"What, and let him go right into that den of lions, to be torn apart and made into a puppet of Dumbledore?! Have all of you gone fucking mad?! I will not allow my son, or anyone of my family anywhere near that place, even if that's the last thing I'll do!" Aries stated with fire and strength.

"Aries…" Arthur had tried to convince her, but she was unyielding.

"No! My son won't be going there, and that is final! And I will not hear any more of it from any of you! Mordred, despite what your blood may be telling you, I will not allow you to go there, one way or the other, so you are staying here, at home, and under constant watch of Grayfia." Mordred and others had widened their eyes at what Aries said, with Grayfia, seemingly with reluctance, bowing her head in respect.

"Mother, you can't just…" Mordred had tried to speak up, but Aries wasn't going to hear any of it.

"Not. A. Word. I have said my piece, and I expect you to respect my will as Lady Pendragon. You will have to find some other way of getting inside Hogwarts, _without _my son acting as a bait." With that said, Aries had left the room, followed by Apolline, Juno, Valerio, Gawain and Charlotte, indicating that the meeting was over, with Mordred storming out of the room soon after, followed by Grayfia, Pyrrha and Fleur.

"Is there really no other way to get inside of Hogwarts?" Morgan decided to ask, with the looks that she gotten stating that it was the only way. "Shit… Is there _any _way to do this _without _Mordred?"

"Not if we want to have _any_ chance at succeeding. Hogwarts protections are far too good, and even if you were to walk there with a Pollyjuice Potion coursing through your veins, Dumbledore would know who you are the second he lays his eyes on you." Arthur told his daughter, with a defeated sigh. "We've thought about it all, but this is the only way we can come up with, and even if it's a bad idea, it is the only one we have that has potential to succeed."

"Explain to me, Arthur, why is it that we are back at the drawing board, just because your wife being against it? You are Lord and ruler of House Pendragon, not her, so why don't you just overrule her decision?" Esdeath asked of Arthur.

"Because I don't want to have my marriage destroyed and family torn apart, and that's not to mention the fact of a number successor Houses being in agreement with her on many instances, like this one." Arthur told Esdeath. "If I were to do it without her approval, Lord or not, I risk facing her ire, and the ire of those that would see Mordred defended at all costs, even at the cost of settling scores with Voldemort."

"Then we'll need to convince her to let Mordred go there." Robert stated out loud with a sigh. "And she won't listen to anyone of us…"

* * *

**Meanwhile. Lady Aries' personal study.**

Without the knock, doors into Aries' personal study opened up, revealing Grayfia stepping inside, with Aries, Apolline, Juno and Charlotte sitting and discussing what had just occurred. Their eyes were instantly drawn towards Grayfia, who didn't waste time and spoke up.

"Please forgive my intrusion, Lady Aries, but I wish to talk to you. Alone." Grayfia's tone indicated that she wasn't going to take no for the answer, with Aries agreeing to it, with others leaving her study.

"Very well, what do you have to say to me, Grayfia?" Aries listened to her.

"Milady, I wish to ask you to reconsider your decision about denying Mordred from going to Hogwarts. You must let him go to Hogwarts." Aries widened her eyes at what she just heard from Grayfia. "Despite what you may believe and wish, he will not stop hearing the Call, and he _will_ leave for Hogwarts, one way or the other."

"Not if you do your duty properly and stop him, instead of ensuring that my son gets himself killed, Grayfia." Aries said with anger her voice. "I would've thought that out of all people you would understand and support me the most, not side with those idiots in their insane plan to retrieve what is essentially an alchemical trinket."

"The Philosopher's Stone is far more than a trinket, milady, and Lord Pendragon and the others have every reason to be afraid of it. In fact, they should fear it being used even more than they do right now, for I have seen and fought the abominations it produced. And that was just the tip of the iceberg." Grayfia told Aries with full seriousness. "And even without the need to have that cursed object destroyed, there is the fact that Mordred will not rest until he answers the Blood Call. Trust me when I tell you this: there is _no_ way to ignore or overcome the Blood Call. Only death will stop Mordred, and I will not do it, whether your command or not." Aries looked scandalized at the words of Grayfia.

"Are you insinuating that I would harm my own son just to keep him safe?! You are threading a very dangerous line here, Grayfia, and I would consider very carefully your next words." Aries threatened her.

"I merely stated what it would take to stop Mordred, and I share your desire to see him protected and safe, Lady Aries. As a mother too, I understand and support your intentions, more than you realize." Grayfia suddenly revealed to Aries.

"You have a family?" Aries asked of her.

"I had it, long before I came into service of House Pendragon, with a man I loved and still do." Grayfia said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "It was back in the times when House Pendragon found itself banished from England. I will say only that my children have passed away, with my beloved having left my side to do his duty, despite just how much I tried to stop him. Much like you are now trying to stop Mordred from doing what he needs to do."

"What are you suggesting to me, Grayfia? That I just let him go to Hogwarts and let Dumbledore have his way with him? Even with all the security in place, the castle itself is under command of Dumbledore and the moment Mordred sets his foot there, he will be in constant danger from Hogwarts itself." Aries stated to Grayfia.

"While it may be true that Dumbledore is the Headmaster of the castle, and exerts a degree of control over it, he isn't completely in command of it, and not even he will be able to hurt Mordred, when the castle's own magical energy defends him." Grayfia stated to Aries. "Whatever plot they may have to harm Mordred in his quest, it will be thwarted by castle itself, or at least, by the entity that powers it."

"What is that supposed to mean, Grayfia?" She asked of her, curious to hear what she has to say.

"What I mean, milady, that Hogwarts houses many secrets within itself, and one of them, the darkest and most important that Founders themselves have concealed there, will be Mordred's most powerful defender." Grayfia told Aries. "Hogwarts may stand on the point of connecting Ley lines, which creates an immensely powerful magical reservoir, as you are aware."

"Yes, just as Camelot once stood on one such place and as Beauxbatons stands on such connection, harnessing magical energy from it. What does that have to do with Mordred, Grayfia?" Aries asked.

"Hogwarts may stand on the connection, but it harnesses and uses the energy not through the same means as Camelot did or all the other places do." Grayfia informed Aries. "Founders, in their folly, had believed that they had discovered a method to take control over the full reservoir and use it for their own agenda. In reality, they had ensured their own demise and death, because they've became a threat to Hogwarts and its students, when the castle suddenly gained something that all the other places like Hogwarts lack."

"And what is it, Grayfia?"

"Milady, before I continue, I must have your word that everything I have said and will say will not leave this room, and that you will not, under _any _circumstances, reveal what I will tell you." Grayfia suddenly demanded of her, with Aries looking with great deal of surprise at her. "Give me your word as Lady Pendragon and as mother, that I may tell you why Mordred will be safe from Dumbledore and his schemes in Hogwarts."

"You have my word, and I swear upon my magic that all you say to me in this room shan't be revealed, without your permission." The magic recognized the pact being made, and Grayfia relaxed, revealing the truth to her lady.

Within the next twenty minutes, Aries left her study with her opinion completely and utterly changed. She was now heading towards her youngest son, as she needed to talk to him.

* * *

**I have a feeling that not everyone will be happy with the execution of this chapter, and I can understand them, as my imagination and mind seem not as willing to work with me as they usually are. But anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter and will forgive me, because I won't be able to post anything the next week, since I will be busy with personal matters. Hopefully I will be able to post after that week, but if something happens, I'll let you know. Again, thank you all for your support and I hope that you are all doing well in these troubled times.**

**Next time: Mother and son; Dumbledore receives good news; Diagon Alley.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chateau de Pendragon's grounds. Half an hour after the meeting.**

Air was filled with sounds of crackling lighting and splintering stone, while magic circled and lashed around and from Mordred's form as crimson lightning and waves left his body and long sword that he imbedded deep into the rock. A single swing of his empowered weapon was enough to split the entire thing in two and crack the ground beneath, yet he wasn't satisfied and continued on demolishing it, with a dragon-like roar accompanying his movements. Fury and rage were evident upon his visage and Raynare, who watched from the safe distance, observed as the boy she was responsible for was taking his frustration out on the inanimate objects.

In some other times, she would've recommended him to either calm down or to channel all that pent up frustration into something more productive, or she would take care of him herself through more… intimate means. While such thoughts would've been considered unbecoming and shameful, for a young Nephilim woman like Raynare these weren't the thoughts that she was ashamed or embarrassed to possess and contemplate.

After all, Mordred has already reached physical maturity, and in Nephilims' point of view, it meant that he was viable for relations and intimacy, and the fact that he was chronologically still a child didn't exactly bother Raynare all that much. After all, Mordred did possess a mind and a body of an adult, as well as a developed mental maturity, which Raynare, as well as other Nephilims, considered to be a sign of actual maturity.

Add to the fact his impressive physical qualities, astonishing magical capabilities, fierce personality and also a measure of Nephilim blood that coursed through him, it was no wonder that Raynare was more than just a little interested in Mordred as a potential life partner. Raynare wasn't a pious girl and she has had her fair share of debauchery and wild youth, so she was experienced in ways of lust, and with Mordred she felt not just lust, but passion and desire not just to have him take her, but to be with her, to hold her in his arms and not let go, to see the person of her affection happy and content.

Raynare knew that when a Nephilim felt that way towards someone, then her choice was already made and there was no going back on it. And Raynare wasn't going to resist what her soul yarned, and it didn't matter to her if Fleur and Pyrrha too wished to be with him. In her mind, there was nothing wrong with Mordred having more than one wife, or even an entire harem for that matter, as long as he can keep all of his wives and lovers happy.

Monogamy wasn't something that Nephilims thought as highly as humans did, and for them polygamy was far more preferable, with Raynare being no exception. She wouldn't mind having sister-wives, especially if they are Pyrrha and Fleur, if they were capable of giving Mordred love, happiness and peace that he deserved. If not and the women were just after material gains or to exploit him, then Raynare wouldn't have any trouble punishing and driving away those scheming snakes.

After all, a Nephilim wife will always look out for her husband's happiness and content and make sure he got those with her. And even if she wasn't going to be permitted to be his official wife, Raynare wouldn't mind the role of a paramour, which in the eyes of her people was the same as being a wife. One thing was clear, and that is Raynare being positively adamant about becoming more than just a close confidant and friend to Mordred

As she mused in her thoughts about how to possibly gain Mordred's affections, Aries has finally made her way towards Raynare and the Nephilim maid bowed before Lady Pendragon.

"Milady." Raynare greeted her, with Aries answering to that with a nod, while her gaze was fixed upon Mordred, as he continued demolishing the scenery.

Aries watched at the power and rage that her son had unleashed with his strikes and magic, being both in awe and frightened at the same time. She had read and studied the history of magical societies and wizards before the establishment of the Ministries and Aries had a good idea at what the wizards and witches of the past were capable of. But one thing is to read and an entirely other is to bear witness to the show of power and might that she was observing right now.

Lady Pendragon had known many powerful and accomplished wizards and witches of this time, having fought many Death Eaters and beaten them, as well as once withstanding a spell casted towards her by Voldemort himself once. But all of them seemed to pale when she looked at her youngest son and the sheer might of his magic he was discharging. The tremendous amount of destructive energy seemed more than enough to destroy a large warehouse or a mansion, and Aries could literally feel the impulses of it on her skin, reaching all the way from her son.

Such power and might, most houses and families would consider it to be a blessing and a major boon to their prestige and power, but for Aries it didn't mean that. It all meant a ruined and destroyed childhood that Mordred was subjected to, and Aries being unable and failing to give him the childhood he deserved. She blamed herself for believing James and Lily when they told her and Arthur that Harry was dead, and she blamed herself for not finding him sooner.

She blamed herself for not protecting her son enough and not stopping the Order, Potters and Dumbledore earlier. Aires essentially blamed herself for not being a good enough mother for her son, even if in her mind she knew that it wasn't the case and that she did everything she could and then some more. Yet the gnawing feeling was always there and it wasn't going anywhere, and now that she looked at her son, at whom he had grown up… She couldn't help but feel even more guilty.

Aries may've allowed Mordred to learn The Old Way and supported him along the way, but deep down, she wasn't agreeing with the path her son had taken, as well as how he was trained and by who. Raven was an infamous person, famed for her ruthlessness in combat and disregard for the established order and society, along with being one of the few remaining staunch followers of The Old Way, a way that had promoted power through violence, combat and ferocity. Such a way hardly had any place in the modern world, as Aries had believed, even if she understood that her interpretation of the philosophy of The Old Way may be flawed and biased.

She realized that when she began to see the results of the training that showed in Mordred, how he rapidly matured and progressed, becoming from a vulnerable and weak child into a fierce and powerful young man. He grew in mentality, spirit and body, and was no longer a child she saw him still, a child that she wished to protect and nurture still. Yet it seemed like that she needed to do something that all mothers needed to do: she needed to let him walk his own path without her holding his hand.

Taking in a deep breath, she stepped forward and walked towards him, even though Raynare had tried to move and stop her. Aries simply brushed her aside, walking to her rampaging son, noting to herself that she now understood why Arthur had told her why Pendragons of the past were a terrifying sight. Casting a wandless _Protego_ around herself to nullify the effect of the incoming powerful magic, Aries brought out her wand and casted an extremely powerful _Expeliarmus _towards her son. She knew that such a way to gain his attention was nothing short of unbecoming, but from experience she knew that Mordred's temper could only be cooled down by instinctual readiness to fight.

Just she had suspected, Mordred's form stiffened and he turned on his feet, sword swinging with his form as it moved towards the casted spell. The power of Aries' spell would've been enough to disarm even her twin sister Bellatrix, but for Mordred it was clearly not enough. His charged up sword slashed the glowing ball of magic in two, completely destroying it, before it returned to position to strike again. It was then that Mordred's gaze cleared and his eyes widened at the sight of who had sent that spell, and at that moment he brought his sword down and all of his rage dissipated.

"Mother?" He asked with a voice filled with confusing and worry, with Aries simply smiling to him.

"En garde, Mordred." She simply said to him, as she began to cast charms and hexes towards him.

The level of confusion felt by Mordred increased greatly, and it was only thanks to countless hours of training from Raven that he was able to dodge and avoid being hit by his mother's spells. He distanced himself from her, trying to speak to her, but he was silenced by a stunner that hit him square in the face. Usually, such an event would be enough knock out most of the wizards and witches, but with Mordred it had simply forced him to take a step back and left him with the impression that his mother wasn't in the mood for talking. She was here to take him on and that was it.

The next three stunners were fast approaching Mordred, but the very second they were about hit his body, his form glowed crimson red and the spells literally were erased when having touched the aura. Mordred looked towards his mother, who now seemed somewhat impressed, and she expressed it by now taking this fight seriously, as she began to transfigure rocks and twigs into metal and sending it towards Mordred. With his own magic and will, he commanded the earth beneath him to rise up and form into a wall, stopping all the incoming objects. Aries casted _Reducto _at the earth wall, destroying it into nothing, but behind it was nothing and no one, surprising Lady Pendragon.

It was only in the next second, when Aries felt a tap on her shoulder that she realized what had happened. She let out a defeated sigh, turning to look at her son, sword sheathed and arms crossed on his chest and looking at her with the same look that Arthur had when he needed the answers.

"Mom, not that I'm complaining, but what the hell?" Mordred asked of her in a surprisingly calm voice.

"You seem oddly serene at the fact that you were suddenly attacked out of nowhere." Aries noted out to Mordred. "Also, how did you make your apparition soundless?" She was genuinely curious at that.

"Trade secret, and don't change the subject. Is this some kind of punishment for me wanting to go to Hogwarts?" Mordred asked of Aries, who shook her head.

"No, not a punishment, more of a test." She said in a somewhat unsure tone. "And a confirmation to me that you can take care of yourself."

"Mom?" Mordred was once more confused at what his mother meant.

"Mordred, I understand that you wish to go to Hogwarts, to right the wrongs inflicted upon you and House Pendragon, and as Lady Pendragon I find it commendable that my son is ready to do so." Aries spoke to Mordred. "But as a mother, I can't help but be terrified at the fact that you wish to go to that vipers' nest, and with zeal you have and ferocity you possess… I can't help but fear that you will not come back."

"Mother, I…" Mordred had tried to speak, but Aries stopped him.

"No, don't try telling me that you will be careful and that you will not get hurt, because we both know that it is not true." She told him, before gathering her thoughts and continuing. "Your father and I, we've always had strived to give you the best childhood possible, free from burdens, suffering and pain that you've had to endure. I know that we have failed in that regard and in the end you've grown up without it and…"

"You are wrong." Mordred told his mom, interrupting and surprising her. "You didn't just give me childhood, but you've saved my life. You yourself, with your very own hands, had pulled out of death's clutches and nurtured me back to health. And after I was out of hospital, what was the first thing you did? You two gave what Potters never could fathom to be for me- you became my _real_ parents! You and Dad had introduced me to our expansive family, all of whom I love and adore with my heart, and who support and care for me even though they had no need to do so."

"Of course they would, why wouldn't they…" Aries had tried to speak up, but Mordred didn't allow her.

"Because I was basically a runt from the streets for them, a nobody whom you took in, and yet the moment they saw me, they've tried and helped me. You, Dad, Gawain, Morgan, Charlotte, Juno, Pyrrha, Fleur- all of you, you hadn't just given me a happy childhood, but you've given me a reason to strive and fight for." Mordred told his mother, who was deeply moved by his words. "All of you and our House, our family- they are the things I want to protect and see live happy lives. And there are those that would see all that ruined."

"And it's not your duty to deal with Dumbledore and Voldemort. That prophecy, whatever its contents are, doesn't have to shape up your life, Mordred. You have the right to choose your path." Aries told him.

"And I _choose _to confront them, not because of the prophecy or just because I want to give them some draconian justice!" Mordred nearly shouted at his mother. "I choose to go to Hogwarts because I want stop them from hurting you and our family. I don't know what's Dumbledore's plan is, or what Voldemort is scheming up in his half dead brain, but I reckon it's got something to do with us. One wants to use me and the other wants to kill me, and I'm not going to let them do it to me or use you to force me. If there is an opportunity to give them hell, then I'll take it."

"And you would be willing to risk your own life over something as dangerous and stupid as vengeance and a small measure of justice, when far more capable and competent people already put their lives on the line for your sake?" Aries asked of her son.

"If I don't do it, then I'm not worth all the fuss. And that may be stupid and dangerous, but that's what I am willing to do, no matter what!" Mordred stated to her with conviction, forcing Aries to sigh with defeat and shake her head. "I know that you are against it, Mom, but that's…"

"You really are an idiot, Mordred." Aries stated to him, but she smiled to him and looked with warmth in her eyes. "But you are my idiot son, and I see that even if I try to stop you, you'll just go away without even saying goodbye. Just like I did with my own parents." After that, Aries moved to hug her son, with Mordred embracing her.

"I promise that I will be back, Mom." He told her. "I'll make you and Dad proud of me."

"I know you will be, Mordred. And don't try, because we both couldn't be prouder of you than we are right now, son." Aries told him, as she held her son in an embrace.

While mother and son were reconciling, Raynare was joined by Grayfia, who teleported to them to see if everything was alright.

"I see that Lady and young lord have reconciled." Grayfia noted out loud. "That is good. A House divided is a house that stands to lose too much and never recover it. And this House has already endured far too many losses because of strife between its members. Lord Arthur's late father, may the Devil burn his soul, is prime example to it."

"You are quite right, Grayfia." Raynare agreed with her, turning to look at Mordred with a smile. "And Mordred would never forgive himself if he were to lose his mother. It would eat at him, and I do so hate it when he frowns and depresses, though when he broods he does have a certain inflaming effect on me."

"Yes, I, as well as the better portion of the staff, have noticed that, Raynare, which is somewhat surprising to them, but not to me." Grayfia admitted to her.

"Why? What is so surprising of a young and hot-blooded Nephilim woman to be smitten by someone like Mordred? Or are they disapproving of my intentions because of him being quarter Nephilim?" Raynare asked of Grayfia.

"Don't be ridiculous, such things as physical age and blood purity have never mattered to our kind, unlike with humans. They are simply surprised at the fact that you've decided to settle down at such an early age, given that you are only 142 years old. Most of our kind settle down at age of 200, as you recall." Grayfia reminded Raynare. "But if that is your choice, then none will stand in your way, and I believe that more than a few of younger and older maids wouldn't mind joining you."

"Well, while the thought does sound appealing, I think I'll be the only Nephilim wife for Mordred." Raynare stated with certainty and confidence in her voice. "We are voracious kind, especially in love, and I would hate to spoil his appetite for me by adding more Nephilims, though other girls to spice things up…"

"I see you've already planned out to create a harem for Mordred, haven't you?" Grayfia asked of her. "Just make sure to get his permission, and make sure that Lady Fleur and Lady Pyrrha are in agreement to share him with each other and you. And that's not to mention the reactions of Lords and Ladies Pendragon, Delacour and Medici... This may be quite a troubling situation to be in."

"Why so, Grayfia?"

"While I doubt Lord and Lady Pendragon will oppose such an arrangement, and Lady Medici will probably be behind such an idea, as she cares for her daughter far more than for her status, it is Lord and Lady Delacour, as well as Fleur that may pose a problem to your plans, Raynare." Grayfia told the younger Nephilim. "House Delacour is currently without a male heir and Lady Apolline has long since set her sights on having Mordred join their House. It is with this reason in mind she had prepared Fleur to marry Mordred since she was a child, and I highly doubt that Lady Apolline will be agreeable for her daughter to share the affections of Mordred. And I have little doubt that she will take precautions to ensure her daughter's place at Mordred's side is secured." The way Grayfia said that made Raynare feel a little uneasy.

"She would go as far as to hurt Pyrrha, daughter of House Medici and a member of Pendragon bloodline? I know that Veelas are vicious when it comes down to their loves, but they aren't stupid. Any form of scheming to get Mordred married into House Delacour will be prevented from the start, given the position of Lord and Lady Pendragon in regards to their children." Raynare noted out to Grayfia. "And even if that isn't enough, there is Lord Robert for Apolline to consider. She will need his agreement for the match to be made, won't she?"

"I wouldn't be as certain as you are, Raynare." Grayfia disagreed with her. "House Delacour has always been as close with Veelas as it was with House Pendragon, and this bond hasn't always been to House Delacour's general benefit. It has a long history of Ladies of the House of Veela descent taking over the governance of the House. And when such an event transpired, House Pendragon was always forced to watch out for Delacours not stabbing them in the back out of greed, jealousy or some other reason that Veela Ladies may find viable in their mind to justify their disloyalty. Last time something of this sort happened was 170 years ago, and the situation back then happens to mirror the situation we are facing right now. And back then House Pendragon had to pay dearly for Veelas' folly."

"And since Veelas do not learn their mistakes easily, and have an inherit desire to be dominant in the relations and in most things…" Raynare began to realize what Grayfia meant. "Just one question, Grayfia: how far did Veelas go to try and achieve their desires?"

"Far enough for me to be always wary among them, Raynare." Was all that Grayfia told Raynare as they saw Aries and Mordred approaching them. "My advice to you: best you be on your guard around Apolline and Fleur, if you intend to approach Mordred."

* * *

**July 16****th****. London.**

"There you go, sir, lady, just where you've ordered." The taxi driver told his passengers.

"Yes, thank you for the ride around the city. Keep the change." Mordred told driver, handing him money, before he and Morgan left the cab. "You know, I am surprised that you've decided to tag along, Morgan, especially on your free day."

"Eh, I had nothing better to do, and since you were going to London to make your "official" appearance for the locals, I decided to come along and make sure you don't get into trouble." Morgan told him, with Mordred chuckling. "By the way, why are you even here? I know that the Ministry is just about to make an official announcement about the exchange program, but why do you needed to come here?"

"More like make sure you don't miss any trouble that I might cause." Mordred told her. "As for why I am here, the official reason is to buy my school necessities, since I will be going into Hogwarts. The real reason is to drop the information for these idiots that I will be attending, so that Dumbledore were to agree to the exchange program in Hogwarts."

"And the only reason he will agree is to have a chance of getting you in his pocket. I get it, and it's a good thing I've decided to tag along then." Morgan decided for herself, as they've reached the place they needed. "This is it? A shady looking bar? If I didn't know any better, I would've called for reinforcements and went in to shut this joint down."

"Why so?" Mordred asked of her.

"7 out of 10 times this was the place where some dumb Dark Wizard or a group of them are hiding." Morgan told Mordred, before pushing the door inside open and going in with Mordred.

The bar was filled with patrons and guests, all chatting and minding their own business, with Morgan and Mordred, who weren't exactly dressed as most of the people here, not drawing attention to them. Surprisingly for Mordred and Morgan, the British wizards and witches were actually dressed in robes, cone-headed hats and mantles and everything like that, as if they were still in the 18 or 19th century. In stark contrast, Morgan was dressed in a red jacket and jeans, with sneakers and white shirt under the jacket. Mordred was dressed in a white and blue jacket and white shirt underneath, jeans and white shoes. The pair made their way to the bartender with Morgan deciding to speak up.

"Hey, mister?" She called the bartender. "Mind telling us where is the entrance to the Diagon Alley or what you call it again?"

"It's out in the back, through that door. Tap the edges of the hole in brick wall and you are in." The bartender told her. "You aren't from around here, are you? Are you from America, or Canada?"

"The accent got me, isn't it? Neither, from France. Me and my brother are on some business here." Morgan told him.

"From France? Now that's a surprise." Barkeep told her. "Haven't seen French wizards and witches around since Potters were bankrupted. A word of advice for you: try not to announce that you from France. A lot of folks don't really like French, after what had happened some years back with Potters."

"Yeah, we've figured." Morgan added.

"People are still pissed about what had happened almost 7 years ago?" Mordred asked of him. "I mean, it would make sense if they were mad for the trade embargoes imposed on Britain, but that ended about 4 years ago. But to be mad about one of our Noble families settling it's scores with one your families?"

"Clearly you haven't been to England before. Most Brits, especially the wizard-kind, can hold all the kinds of grudges for a long time, and when it comes to the golden family of Potters, things can get violent. Just don't tell them I've told you so, okay?" Barkeep told them. "It's because of the people like them I'm thinking about moving back to Boston. You can't even say a bad word about them and you immediately get either fined, arrested, beaten up or everything at the same time. That's how poor old Tom retired and sold the Cauldron to me."

"Maybe you should try Calais. People out there are friendly enough and it's not so high-strung on stupid stuff like here. A word of advice in return for your own advice, so to speak." Morgan told him, who thought about it for a little bit.

"Eh, what the hell, might as well just do it and move there. Thanks for the advice, Ms.?" Barkeep asked Morgan, as she and Mordred were already leaving for the entrance into the Diagon Alley.

"Morgan, Morgan and Mordred Pendragon of the very same Pendragons that wiped Potters arses for messing with us." Morgan said that loud enough so that the entire bar heard her, and right before she and her brother were hoarded for questions, she closed the door before the people. "That should get you all kinds of attention, if that's what you are looking for, Mordred. If their rumor mill is half as good as ours, Dumbledore will know about you being here in about 10 to 30 minutes."

"He won't be the one coming towards me directly. I bet he'll send one of the teachers or his former students to meet me, but that's not them that we need exactly." Mordred told his sister, before tapping the brick wall with his hand and seeing it part before them. "It's the reporters that we need." Mordred told Morgan.

This was the whole reason why Mordred came here, and although he could handle the task alone, it wasn't unwelcome of Morgan to have come with him, as it would also add up to the believability of the story he was about to present to the British public. For over two months since his mother had agreed to let Mordred go to Hogwarts, he, along with Pyrrha, had been drilled and trained by Esdeath and Raven, mainly focusing their efforts on the mental shielding of the two and psychological endurance, to withstand the pressure from their task. They didn't focus on their magical and physical capabilities, as two have had almost 7 years of training under Raven.

Now as for the task Mordred came here to complete, it consisted of him informing the British public that there will be the exchange program between Europe and Britain. He was to make this information known in a way that would paint him as someone who wants nothing to do with this program, so as to not draw suspicion to himself. Along with that, they needed to bait Dumbledore and the Ministry into agreeing to this exchange program, and if it was made public that Mordred Pendragon was going to be attending Hogwarts, then Dumbledore will make sure that the exchange program sees the light.

And since this information will also be confirmed through Olympe Maxime, the double agent of Pendragons, then old goat won't suspect a thing. What Mordred needed to do was make it appear as if he wasn't willing and was angry about being forced to go to Hogwarts, and that is what he was going to do, along with buying all the necessary items for Hogwarts. And for that he needed money, so with that in mind, he and Morgan were heading towards the office of Medici Bank, which had finally been opened up in England about two years ago. Before that, all banking business was done by goblins, as was per the agreement between House Medici and Gringotts, but after the sanctions placed on England started to make a serious dent on the economy of Magical Britain, the Ministry decided to make some changes to their politics and to get the sanctions lifted.

To do that, Cornelius Fudge was forced to make contact with Juno Medici and make a lucrative offer of opening up an office of her Bank in Britain, with rights to not just loan money, but also to hold them. Gringotts Bank and goblins in general seriously opposed this decision when they had learned of it, but were unable to prevent Juno from setting up her shop in their territory. This decision has finally opened England back up to the European politics and led to their eventual return from the political exile. And House Medici had quickly and efficiently got hold of the client base here and made itself not just useful but practically irreplaceable for the wizarding kind of Britain. After all, how many banks in Magical England were actually able of giving Wizards and Witches loans for their various enterprises, businesses and other stuff? Only Medici Bank, and it was to this bank that Mordred was heading.

Morgan and Mordred found the building of the bank, which, unlike the rest of the alley, looked like a modern building, with white walls, glassed doors and so forth. Along with its looks, it was also placed right in front of Gringotts Bank, as if standing there just to dare and mock Goblins. From what Mordred knew, it was Juno's decision to place the British office of Medici right here, both to place her bank in the most obvious and visible place, and to show the symbolic alternative to greedy critters that she considered goblins, who weren't too happy to have to share their street with someone they despised so much.

The Pendragon siblings went inside, seeing that the interior was a well-designed mix of both modern and Victorian elements. Having examined the elements for a few seconds, Morgan decided to take a seat in one of the chairs, while Mordred went ahead to one of the bank workers, who was a young woman, dressed in a business suit and typing on the computer. Once Mordred reached her, she turned away from her PC and spoke up.

"Welcome to Medici Bank, where your possessions and coin are as valuable to us as our lives. How may I help you?" She greeted Mordred in a standard form.

"I would like to make a withdrawal from one of my accounts." Mordred said to the woman, who nodded to him and turned to the computer, ready to type, but not before pulling out a pen and blank.

"Very well, please state your name, name and number of the account from which you wish to make the withdrawal, write down your signature and press your right thumb into the blank." She instructed him.

"Mordred Pendragon, account is on my name, number 722134…" Mordred couldn't finish as he was suddenly shoved aside by someone, but quickly gathering himself. "Hey, get back in line! I wasn't done here!" Mordred saw three figures, with one being a blond man with long hair and pale blue eyes, whom second son of Pendragon line recognized as Lucius Malfoy, accompanied by his trusted minions, Crabb and Goyle.

"I'm afraid that you are finished for now, so go and get in some other line. Me and my companions have urgent business here, far more important than whatever had brought you here." Lucius practically sneered at Mordred, who didn't take that kindly.

"Whatever business you've got here, you and your boyfriends can complete once I get my business done here, so step aside, princess." Mordred told him, with Lucius practically laughing at him, while one of Lucius' companions went on ahead and tried to grab Mordred.

Only the moment he moved his arm to take hold of the young man, Mordred grabbed it and twisted in an Aikido style grab. This immediately forced the much larger man to his knees, before Mordred Judo chopped at the back of his head, knocking him out for good. Needless to say, the hall was quite shocked and silenced at what had happened, while Mordred simply fixed his jacket before speaking up.

"So, who is next?" Mordred asked in a daring manner, with both Lucius and his other companion already reaching out for their wands.

"Insolent mudblooded mutt! I'll teach you how to…" Unfortunately, Lucius wasn't able to finish his tirade, before he and his friend were frozen in place by the security, while another one of the bank workers stepped closer towards Mordred.

"Security, please remove Mr. Lucius and his companions off the Bank's property and after inform him that he shall be fined for breaking the rules." A woman in her late twenties, with short chocolate hair made into a bob said, before turning to Mordred. "Mordred Pendragon, second son to Lord and Lady Pendragon and Lady Juno Medici's godson, here in Britain? Either my coffee was spiked, or this is the end of the world."

"Probably the latter, but if it is the end of the world, then it was nice seeing you again, Christina." The said woman laughed a little at the joke. "Thanks for the save, but I could've handled them."

"It wouldn't do good for our bank's reputation, if our clients have to defend themselves from rowdy customers." Christina Medici, third cousin to Juno Medici, replied. "Anyway, what are you doing in here? Last I checked, you hated this place with burning passion, so what changed?"

"Politics and France's stance international cooperation with Britain have changed, and somehow I got mixed into it all once again." Mordred replied with an irritated sigh. "You've probably heard the rumors that ICW has decided to finally settle all the old grudges between Europe and Britain. Well the big guys over there have decided that the best way to do so is to send a bunch of their kids to study for a year or two in Hogwarts, and somehow, I got included in that damn program."

"Wait, but you aren't even a student of any of the magical schools, how did you get roped into this?" Christina asked of Mordred, before sighing and shaking her head. "Let me guess: Dumbledore and his puppets?"

"Do you think I even care about who did it?" Mordred asked of her, with Christina shaking her head at that. "The point is, I got somehow involved in all of this, and now I've got to buy a whole bunch of internationally outdated books for the study and get measured for my robes, since lo and behold, I'm going to Hogwarts."

"Do you have a list of needed things on hand?" Mordred nodded to her, before handing her the list. "Alice, take this list and buy everything in here. Send the bills to me, I'll pay for them." One of the girls rushed to Christina and took the list, before leaving the place.

"I see you are enjoying the perks of being the head of this office." Mordred noted to her.

"What's the point of being a boss if you can't abuse your underlings?" Christina jokingly asked him. "And I'm not all that abusing them, just have the junior staff members like her running errands for us. Consider this as an official apology for the inconvenience. Now, why don't we go to my office while you wait on your delivery. I've finally managed to get my hands on some decent coffee and it's been a long time since I could enjoy a good company."

"Sounds good to me." Right as Mordred had said it, he was forced to close his eyes because of the bright flash to his right.

Both he and Christina turned to it and saw that right in front of the bank was assembled a large group of reporters and photographers, all eying hungrily at Mordred and taking pictures of him. This was just what Mordred needed. Christina motioned one of the security officers to come closer and explain to her what was that gathering.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but these reports are here to get an exclusive interview here or something. At least that's what we understood. Apparently, they are all here because of Mr. Pendragon." He told Christina, before she nodded him off.

"Ugh, if there is one thing I hate about this country more than its miserable weather it would have to be these vultures. I'll have security get rid of them in a moment." Christina was about to give the order, but Mordred stopped her.

"Well, if they are here for the statement, then I'll give them one, before they write one down. I'll be back in a minute." Mordred told Christina, who looked surprised at him, before shrugging and letting him go.

"Well, looks like you've gotten yourself the reporters." Morgan noted to Mordred from her seat, enjoying a cup of coffee.

"Enjoying the show, Morgan?" Mordred asked of her, with her nodding to him

"Better than most stuff on TV these days. Now why don't you go and make the headlines of their newspapers?" Morgan wished him luck, with Mordred stepping out of the bank and immediately getting bombarded by the reporters.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Potter, is this true that you've forsaken the name of Harry Potter and are now called as Mordred Pendragon, same as the great betrayer of King Arthur?" One of the reporters asked the question.

"I thought that was common knowledge by now, but since you people get all your news via carrier pigeons, I'll tell you all what I told James and Lily Potters. My name is Mordred Pendragon and I have been abandoned by those two worthless wankers, so if any of you call me Potter or something like that I'll shove it's quill up their ass sideways." Mordred stated to them all in an irritated tone.

"Mr. Pendragon, Mr. Pendragon, what is your purpose of being in Britain?"

"I'm here because your Minister and that goat faced puppeteer of his, whom you call Headmaster Dumbledore, have somehow coursed the ICW and French Ministry into agreeing to their dumb exchange program. Since I'm the major pain the neck for Dumbledore, I now have to spend a year in your so-called "best school of wizardry in the world"." Mordred revealed to them, internally smiling at seeing the plan coming together.

"Mordred, Mordred Pendragon! Rita Skitter, Daily Prophet, is this true that you will be attending Hogwarts? If so, are you aware that your former younger brother, James Potter Junior, will be enrolling into Hogwarts in this year? What do you have to say to the Boy-Who-Lived and his parents, whom you've left bankrupt after you stole everything from them?" Rita Skitter asked of him, caring not for his feelings on the subject.

"To them, I have only one thing to say: stay away from me and I'll stay away from you. But I do have to say something to you, and that this whole Boy-Who-Lived thing is nothing more than falsehood and lies, concocted by Dumbledore and Potters to make themselves famous. You want to know who was it that defeated Voldemort? It wasn't an infant in the crib or a little boy too scared to move a muscle, but it was one brave and courageous woman named Euphemia Potter." Mordred spoke with passion. "She put herself between her grandchildren and the Dark Lord, while her son and his wife were off playing heroes. She gave her life to put an end to that madman, and what reward did she receive? What praises were given to her and her sacrifice?! Nothing in here, in Britain was done to honor this woman's memory and act of sacrifice!"

"But in France, her homeland and where she was born, I'll tell you what was done: a day of mourning was dedicated to her, with churches ringing bells in her honor and a statue being placed in the Hall of Heroes in Paris, standing right next to Jeanne d'Arc." Mordred stated with strong belief and passion. "But I'm digressing here, so to answer all of your questions: yes, I will be attending Hogwarts, but don't even think that I will be playing niceties there. That place is not a wonder castle for me, but a place where your false saviors had ripped away my magic and nearly killed me, and the man that performed the whole thing is still running that place. So here is my message to Dumbledore, Minister, Potters and everyone else who thinks that I'll play nice with you: you try and mess with me, my friends, or my family, I'll personally rip off your heads with my bare hands. And that is a promise to all you." Mordred proclaimed to them all.

* * *

**I am back!**

**Oh yes, the exams are finally over and I've passed them well, even if they were hell to complete and I needed over 2 weeks to get over them, but I've recovered and recuperated, so now I'm back in the saddle and we are getting to the good stuff!**

**Now, before any of you get any ideas, I will have to explain some things:**

**I'm only thinking about making this into a small harem, because I've had time to rethink about a few things in this story, and I'm still deciding about. When I do decide, you will be the first to know about.**

**Mordred's physical appearance is that of a twenty-year-old man, think Viserys Targeryen from game of Thrones, but not a pathetic wimp of a madman, but a Pendragon with a bone to pick attitude. The reason why he and Pyrrha had matured so fast is because of the specifics of The Old Way trainings and teachings. The Old Way forced their bodies to evolve to become stronger and faster, as well as get mature. In short, magic accelerated their natural growth, with Mordred's being expedited by his Nephilim blood. And before you ask, remember that Arthur's mother (aka Mordred's grandmother) was a Nephilim, so he has their blood in him.**

**As for Fleur and Apolline scheming, I'm only about toying with the idea, but hey, I might be on to something.**

**Anyway, with that out of the way, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you all for supporting me and understanding. It is very touching and nice, how you've been patient and I am glad to repay you in any way I can. **

**Next time: Train to Hogwarts; Arrival and Sorting**

**See ya next week!**


	16. Chapter 16

**September 1****st****. London. King's Cross station. Platform 9 3/4.**

The train platform which served as the main and seemingly the only route to Hogwarts was packed to the brim with new and returning students with their families, as well as all the foreign exchange students and their families that were present there. They were bidding their children good luck and giving them farewells on their way to Hogwarts, which many of the foreign students, including Mordred, Pyrrha and Fleur, along with their parents found strange.

There have been multiple times when parents and students had asked their guide, namely Minerva McGonagall, as to why they couldn't just use a floo portal to get to Hogwarts, or a Portkey. Her response was the same as always, which was that taking a train to Hogwarts was a tradition of their school and Headmaster wished it to be persevered even with exchange students. Some understood from which angle she was coming from, while others thought that it unnecessarily time consuming and tedious, as it also forced all of the exchange students, with some of which being as far as Finland and Russia, to travel all the way to London and then to load up on the train, where they would spend even more time travelling to Hogwarts.

In other words, there were a lot of people who already didn't have any positive thoughts about this whole exchange program, and Mordred with his family couldn't blame them. After all, he himself wasn't all that thrilled at the idea of going by the steam train to one place he literally has nightmares about. Even if he did use Occlumency to suppress the memories, it would be all for naught as the mental shields would be down once he fell asleep, and young silver-haired Pendragon felt that he wasn't going to get much sleep inside Hogwarts. Good thing that Raven has trained him to go on without having sleep for over 4 to 7 days without negative effects, another perk of Occlumency and also draconian blood of Pendragons. Still, Mordred was going to Hogwarts to do his duty that he chose and nothing was stopping, and his parents and family knew it, as they've come with him to wish him well and see him off. The first one to do so was his mother, who hugged her son tightly.

"Oh, Mordred, if it becomes too hard to be there or if there is something wrong, don't hesitate and come straight back home. And don't forget to send us daily updates and write how you are doing in classes, oh and also to which house got sorted in." Aries instructed her son, before letting him go.

"Is it really that important for you to know into which House I'll be sorted in? I always thought this system kinda outdated and dumb, no offence. And sorry, Mom, but I doubt I'll end up in Ravenclaw, despite how much Sona and Grayfia had spent time with me in the library." Mordred told her.

"I wouldn't mind if you were a Ravenclaw, Mordred, but I know that where I am a person of thought, you are a person of action, and those aren't often found in Ravenclaw. I will be happy with you being in any House, since all of them have their own distinct positive sides. Even Slytherin." Aries assured Mordred. "Just try not to fall into any of the traps that Dumbledore and his cronies will set up. Stay always close to Pyrrha and Fleur or Aurors from other countries, and don't trust British Aurors, they are on Dumbledore's side first and foremost. And most importantly- try not to fall dead asleep on one of Binns' lectures about goblins and giants." That got a chuckle from Aries, Mordred and Arthur.

"I'll do my best, but if what you two have told me about that Binns character is true, then I'm not making any promises." Mordred told them, before his mother suddenly remembered something and gave him an envelope.

"This is from Grayfia, Raynare and Sona, since they couldn't be here, so they've asked me to give you this. Make sure to read it and reply on it when you get to Hogwarts, and don't forget about it. You know how worrisome they can get." Aries said, with Mordred nodding to her and taking the envelope, before he continued to his father and Gawain.

"Good luck in Hogwarts, son, and in case you do up in Gryffindor, try not to make McGonagall too mad at you. That woman can be almost as scary as your mother when she gets serious." That earned Arthur an elbow to his ribs. "Ow, sorry, honey. But in all seriousness, Mordred: maintain vigilance and don't let them catch you off-guard."

"I'll remember it, Dad." Mordred promised to him, before turning to Gawain. "Hard to believe that you've taken time to see me off, brother. I thought you were practically married to your job."

"You make it sound like I'm a workaholic, Mordred. I'd never miss such an event, and I believe I still haven't." Gawain chuckled to him, before hugging him for a bit. "You take good care of yourself and girls out there, Mordred. And if you need any help, or there will be something wrong happening in Hogwarts, let me know through Valerio. We'll have you and everyone else out of there in no time."

"Will do, Consul." Mordred jokingly said, before turning to Morgan and Charlotte. "Any words of encouragement before I'll be off?"

"Nah, just get on the train and go teach those suckers what it means to mess with Pendragons." Morgan flashed her brother a predator-like grin. "And if you happen to see Tonks there and she tries to mess with you, just do what I did to her throughout the year she was in my class."

"And what's that?" Mordred asked her.

"Punch her in the face, obviously." Morgan and Mordred laughed at that one, with their parents and Gawain only shaking their heads at that one, before Charlotte coming closer and hugging her brother.

"I'll write to you every day and I'll pray that God be on your side, brother. Just make sure to come back to us safe and sound and as soon as possible." Charlotte said in a vulnerable tone of voice, with Mordred hugging her closer. "Do you really have to do this, Mordred?" She asked for the last time.

"I do, little sis, and I'll be back home before Christmas, if all goes well." Mordred told her, letting her go.

"French and Germans thought the same in 1914, and what came of thinking like that?" Charlotte reminded her brother. "Best you don't tell the Lord your plans, lest you want to entertain him with your future misfortunes."

"I'll keep that in mind, and I'm not going off to fight a World War I, only steal the single most dangerous artefact in existence from a veritable fortress." Mordred jokingly said, before the train was starting the boarding procedure. "Well, it's time for me to be off. See you all soon!" Mordred decided not to say goodbyes and instead went on ahead to board the train.

Among the crowds of boarding students, Mordred managed to navigate his way through the hall and find himself an empty compartment. Before he entered inside, he used a little bit of magic to inscribe on the door a special rune, invisible for most that see it, but visible for Pyrrha and Fleur, so that they may find him. They've already decided to ride together and this was their way to ensure that they've found each other. And while Mordred was waiting for the girls to make their way to him, he decided to read what Grayfia, Raynare and Sona had written to him, as he opened up the envelope. To his surprise, there was only one letter inside, a silver ring with an emerald in it, and an oddly familiar locket, which Mordred took immediately and examined.

It didn't take him long to recognize the locket of Salazar Slytherin, the very same thing that Kreacher had tried to use to take revenge on Mordred for dissolving House Black. And while the memories of that incident were unclear in Mordred's mind, he did recall some of it and it was enough to make him feel uncomfortable. But he quickly brushed those thoughts aside as he noticed that the locket looked different from what it used to be.

The locket wasn't just made out of gold and emerald as it was before, but now had also platinum in it, and emeralds were replaced with rubies. The letter "S" in front of the locket was replaced with a Welsh Dragon made of the rubies, with no trace of the previous owner on it. On the other side there was now a figure of a robed woman, made out of platinum and only two small emeralds placed where her eyes are. The locket was clearly remade with some very exquisite craftsmanship and there was strong magic felt in it, one that wasn't of the malicious type. As for the ring, Mordred saw that there were very small runes inscribed on inner side of it, as well as that the ring was also enchanted, though not as strongly as the locket. Having examined them, Mordred finally opened up the letter and began to read it.

_"__Mordred,_

_First off, I would like to apologize from all of our staff, including Raynare and Sona, for not being at the station to see you off, as well as for Lady Pendragon deliver it to you. It wasn't my intention to have you deceived, only to make sure that the information that is stated in this letter does not fall into anyone else's hands._

_I am certain you have noticed the two pieces of jewelry that were in the envelope with the letter and have questions as to why they were there and of their magical properties. The locket, as I'm certain you have already guess was once Slytherin's locket, was remade by a friend of mine and completely purged of all traces of Slytherin magic in it, as well as Voldemort's spirit. It now possesses several enchantments, which I believe will be quite useful in Hogwarts. _

_The first one is a shielding charm, that will block any attempts at reading your mind by anyone, even someone of Dumbledore level. The second enchantment is a very powerful stealth charm, or Notice-Me-Not charm, as British call it. It works through enveloping you in an aura, that masks your presence from all, with neither smell, sound or any magical trace being leaked from you. This will allow you safely navigate Hogwarts and its grounds, without anyone noticing you. The two charms do not work at the same time, so if you wish to activate one, then turn the locket whichever side you need. The side with dragon on it is for mental enchantment, the other side with robed witch is for stealth charm. Once you wear it, the charms will activate._

_There is also another enchantment that was placed upon it, which can only be activated when the locket is open. To open the locket, you would need to say in Parseltongue "I require assistance, Grayfia", and it will activate a Portkey that will transport me to your location, without any wards interfering with the travel. Once there, I will do whatever you need to be done, but please use this only as the absolute last resort. _

_Now, as for the ring, it also has an enchantment upon it, which is a highly sophisticated and precise potions and charms detector. The stone upon the ring will turn purple if the drink or food you hold in your hand or by a spoon is spiked with some form of relatively harmless potion, red if there is as a love potion or any other amorous potion used in it, black if there is a poison, white if there is some kind of mind altering potion, and yellow if there is some kind of charm on. The last one applies also to the places, so if you are standing near something charmed for some kind of very specific purpose, like to hide something, then the ring will notify you of it and a yellow line will extend from the stone to show you where that charm is._

_Mordred, once you arrive in Hogwarts and get yourself settled in, I need you to do something for me. It is paramount that you do exactly as I tell you, for it will serve to expedite the completion of your mission. I need you to find a certain place in Hogwarts, and that is the Room of Requirement, a room which can generate anything that the seeker may wish for. The room is located on the seventh floor in the left corridor of the Hogwarts castle and has a hidden entrance opposite the tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet. The way to open the room is to walk past it three times thinking about what you need, and the door will appear. You must be very specific and very clear about what you require, and what you need to think about is to find the source of Hogwarts' power. Think of it and only of it, do not think of anything else. As for what that source is, it will be best if you encounter it yourself, but trust me when I say this: it shall be your most valuable ally in Hogwarts and most definitely will become your foremost protector while you are there._

_Mordred, I want you to know that over the years I have known and cared for you, you have become like a son to me, and like your mother, I am too not denied the fear for your safety and life. I implore you to be as careful as you can be and not give into your worse impulses, despite how much people around you may try to provoke you. Trust only in Pyrrha and Fleur, for they are as loyal to you as your parents are loyal to each other, and do not be haste to trust others in Hogwarts, even if you know them, like with Daphne Greengrass. While people like her may not be on the side of Dumbledore, they may still help your enemies without even realizing it, and you should keep it in mind._

_Please be safe, do your duty and return back home once the Stone is gone for good._

_Sincerely,_

_Your loyal and caring friend_

_Grayfia"_

Mordred read the letter and while he didn't hold any anger or grudge over what Grayfia did, he was certainly intrigued by what she had written in there. He will definitely investigate this Room of Requirement and find out what that source of Hogwarts' power is, and he will definitely keep the presents that Grayfia had made to him. He put the ring on his finger, and locket on, hiding it beneath his clothes. Once he was done, the door into his compartment opened up with Fleur and Pyrrha getting in.

"Finally, I was starting to think if you've forgot to board the train with the rest of us." Fleur huffed, as she entered the compartment with Pyrrha, putting her baggage in place. "Do you have any ideas just how _many _boys from the ages of 14 to 18 have tried to make a move on us, while we were looking for you?"

"I don't know, but I'll wager that the two of you had every boy's attention, when you've passed him." Mordred replied, with the girls taking their seats, with Pyrrha sitting in front of Mordred, while Fleur took her seat next to Mordred. "Hopefully, they weren't too persistent or loose with their hands."

"Why? Would it make you angry if they were even a little bit loose towards us?" Fleur teased Mordred a little, with Pyrrha shaking her head at that.

"It would, and it would a good enough excuse to teach them some manners when dealing with ladies as beautiful and precious as you are." Mordred told Fleur, with her smiling to him, while Pyrrha felt a little bit of heat rising to her cheeks. "These British wizards may play quidditch well and proper, but they are as improper with ladies as they are upstart. And they have no business trying to get close to you."

"You always know just what to say to make a girl feel loved and cared for, Mordred." Fleur said with a wink to him, before Pyrrha replied.

"There were a few improper students, but none that tried to impose themselves upon us with unwanted attention, not after we've told them that we are your friends." Pyrrha told Mordred, before Fleur had another chance to try to flirt with Mordred. "The moment they heard about it, they've back off completely, or treated us with rather unfriendly looks. Something tells me that we won't make a lot of friends while we are there."

"I personally am not looking forward to making any friends there, or being sorted into any of their Houses." Fleur commented. "What kind of medieval system is that, to divide students by their personalities instead of their academic potential and talents? And don't even get me started on that racism and prejudice that rules over Hogwarts. Did you know that there have been no Veelas, Nephilims, or hybrids studying there? The non-human rights in this country are border-line fascistic, with my kind and many others not even allowed to set foot on their precious island, because they believe us to be Dark creatures."

"Well, if we go by their logic, then they should also deport me, along with you, Fleur, since I'm ¼ Nephilim." Mordred commented. "But you are right about the prejudice and racism in here. These people are quite close to being considered fascist, if you take into consideration what laws they have in regards to non-magical population or first generation Wizards and Witches. I can't even imagine how did my father and grandmother could live in such a close-minded society."

"How about we change the topic, so as to not sour the mood?" Pyrrha offered, and the other two agreed. "Mordred, I've noticed you now have a ring on your left hand. Since when do you wear jewelry."

"Oh, it's a present from Grayfia, along with Raynare and Sona. It's an enchanted ring that will inform me if my food or drink are spiked with something, or if there is some kind of enchantment or charm near me. She also gave me a locket that will shield my mind and can also act as a stealth generator." Mordred pulled out the locket, with girls looking at it with unhidden interest.

"Wow, sounds very expensive to make, and looks just as expensive as it sounds." Fleur said, looking at the locket. "Grayfia must've borrowed a lot of money from your parents to have it made, because I don't see how a simple maid would be able to pay for it."

"Well, Grayfia isn't a simple maid, but head maid of Pendragon household, and she has been in this position for a very, very long time. She must've amassed a fortune over the decades she worked for Pendragons." Pyrrha said to Fleur. "I heard from my mother that Grayfia has been in Pendragon household longer than any other Nephilim maid or butler. She even said to me that she couldn't imagine House Pendragon without Grayfia in it, since she must've served more than a century in the household."

"Grayfia told me that she served House Pendragon since the end of the Great Magical War, and hasn't left her post since." Mordred told them, surprising them both. "According to Raynare and Sona, Grayfia is among the oldest living Nephilims, being almost a thousand years' old and have even witnessed the times of Merlin, King Arthur and Mordred the Avenger. Sona even speculated that Grayfia was either a student or even a teacher to Morgana Le Fay herself."

"That's got to be just rumors. I can believe that Grayfia is old enough to have known Morgana Le Fay, but to be her student or even a teacher? I don't buy it." Fleur said.

"I once tried to ask her about it, and all that Grayfia replied to me was that she doesn't want to talk about her past and that I would do best not to ask." Mordred told them. "She sounded… sad and hurt when she spoke of those times. I think that Pendragons weren't the only ones who had it rough in those times. But as for that rumor about being apprentice of Morgana, I think that one might be true, because Raynare and some other Nephilims have told me that while Grayfia may not be the eldest, but she is definitely one of the most powerful Nephilims in history, and her magical abilities are unique to her alone."

"What do you mean by that?" This time, it was Pyrrha who asked him a question.

"I mean, that she has far more knowledge about some of the most obscure and even forgotten types of magical arts, like necromancy, time manipulations, geomancy and so forth. She is even proficient in the Old Way to the point of Raven even saying that she wouldn't dare to challenge Grayfia to a fight in the Old Way, and she isn't someone to say something like that lightly." Mordred told them, impressing the girls. "And that's not to mention her knowledge of more commonly used magical arts, like transfiguration, charms, curses and spells, the stuff that wizards and witches use today. And she knows them all better than even Sona does."

"Nephilims don't usually learn to utilize human magic, much less master it." Fleur mused, before deciding that it was time to put into motion the plan she had in her head. "Mordred, why don't you grab us some tea? The ride is going to a long one, and I doubt that there will be any stops, so what better way to spend our time than with tea and a good company?"

"Well, I may not be able to read the tells, as Raynare once told me, but I do know when ladies wish to be left alone. I'll see what I can find in here." Mordred chuckled, before rising up and leaving the compartment.

"Fleur, what's this about?" Pyrrha immediately caught on that Fleur had some kind of plan in her head. "I hope it's not another one of those pranks of yours. Remember how Mordred reacted to the last one?"

"Calm down, it's not about that. I just wanted to make sure that we would have a few minutes to talk privately." Fleur told Pyrrha, taking a breath in. "Alright, no point of avoiding it or beating around the bush. Pyrrha, do you love Mordred?" Fleur asked with full seriousness in her voice, shocking Pyrrha.

"Wh-what kind of q-questions is that?!" Pyrrha shouted out at Fleur, rising up on her feet. "I-Is this another one of y-your games, Fleur?! If so, then I have no intention to…"

"Pyrrha, I am completely serious with you, and I am asking you this question because I need to know." Fleur told her. "Because I've long understood to myself that I love Mordred, and I wish him to be happy and to with those that he can love and care for. I, obviously, wish to be one of those special people, because I love him with all my heart, and I also need to know if you too love him, Pyrrha." Pyrrha knew Fleur all too well, and she knew that right now she was completely serious.

"Do I love him?" Pyrrha asked Fleur, once she took a breath and calmed down. "Do you really need to ask this question, Fleur? Of course I love Mordred, more than anyone and I would follow him to the debts of hell just to keep him safe. He was my first friend and had helped me become who I am, and without him in my life, I can even picture myself. He is like a part of my being, source of my courage and resolve to move forward and strive to be better. He is like the air that fans my fire, and I wish to preserve it, no matter what."

"You know, have you ever thought about poetry? I think you might actually have some talent in you, behind all that Amazon princess exterior." Fleur chuckled a little, while Pyrrha glared at her. "I'm just saying, nothing more, but I am glad that we've sorted this one out so quickly, because now you and I have a problem we need to deal with. I believe you know which I'm referring to?"

"Which one is going to be with Mordred." Pyrrha voiced it. "No matter what happens, I'm not backing down, and no matter what you have to say will not make waver."

"I'd be sorely disappointed if you did waver and quit, because that would mean you aren't even capable of fighting for your happiness with him." Fleur stated to Pyrrha. "But I am glad that you aren't backing down, because I am exactly the same way."

"Then, what are we to do then? Let Mordred make his choice between the two of us?" Pyrrha asked Fleur, before answering to that herself. "Mordred cares equally for both of us, we are his oldest and closest friends and he would sooner hurt himself than see one of us in tears. I fear that he might just choose to not be with either of us, and if that happens…"

"Then both of us will be in tears, and that isn't acceptable to me." Fleur said to Pyrrha. "Which is why I propose a compromise."

"What compromise?" Pyrrha looked at her curiously, before figuring it out herself. "Wait… You don't mean that we… Share Mordred? Fleur… S-Such a thing hasn't been done in Wizarding World f-for years now! I-it would be seen as improper and…"

"And what, Pyrrha? Polygamy, while not the most popular thing in our Wizarding world, but it had always been a part of it, in one form or the other. Even if nobody likes to talk about and just prefer to keep quiet about, but it is still a fact that it is a part of our life that nobody has tabooed." Fleur told Pyrrha, who was starting to calm down again. "True, it hasn't been practiced for a long time in the wizarding world, including in Pendragon bloodline, and there are reasons as to why this hasn't always worked out, but between us and Mordred, I believe we that we can make this work, considering that the three of us are practically already a family, and I do think of you as a sister, in much the same way as I see Gabrielle."

"I am touched, Fleur, and I do too care for you as if you were my own sister, but are you certain that we can make this even work? I mean, you are a Veela, at least partially, and Mordred is…"

"One quarter Nephilim, with the body and mind of a young man, as well as magical aptitude equal to that of legends. If anything that Raynare and Grayfia had told us about the Nephilim-Human hybrids is true, then Mordred wouldn't oppose to being with us both at the same time." Fleur argued her point to Pyrrha.

"And what about his father? He is half-Nephilim from his mother's side and he is only with Lady Pendragon. I doubt that Lord and Lady Pendragon would be thrilled to know that their son will be married to two girls at the same time." Pyrrha argued back.

"Lord Pendragon's Nephilim side is a more dormant one, if Grayfia is to be believed, while with Mordred, it is a more active one, equal in influence and power to his human side, which is why he is that much more powerful than a normal wizard." Fleur reminded to Pyrrha. "And I think your worries on the subject of Lord and Lady Pendragon are baseless. Their first priority will be to see Mordred happy, and let's be honest, do you really think that either of us would tolerate _any_ other hussy being near him?" Fleur crossed her arms on her chest with her brow elegantly pointing upwards.

"No, I wouldn't." Pyrrha admitted, before giving up and leaning back. "Alright, let's say we do this thing, then how do we set this up? I mean, we will be married to him, in the future, right?"

"That is my objective, though there might be some things we need get sorted right away." Fleur told Pyrrha. "First and foremost, my status with Mordred."

"Naturally you would start with yourself beloved." Pyrrha said in a teasing manner.

"I started with me because my situation is a bit more precarious than your, Pyrrha. You marry Mordred, you'll take either the name and title of Pendragon or whatever name he chooses, if he decides to establish his own House." Fleur told Pyrrha. "As for me, that's not as simple as that, because of House Delacour's rather interesting status it finds itself right now. My House has no direct male descendants to continue on the name of Delacour, and it only has two daughters, me and Gabrielle. And that is a dangerous position to be in, Pyrrha, and I don't want for my House to come to an end."

"Then what is your plan to see it prosper?" Pyrrha asked of Fleur.

"Well, it's quite simple really. While you would marry Mordred in a patrilineal marriage, I would marry him in a matrilineal marriage, so that our children with him would bear the name of my House. I would continue being the heiress of my House, as will my children be, while Mordred will assume the role of Regent, in case my father steps down or, may the God protect him, dies." Fleur explained to Pyrrha, who understood now what Veela had in mind, before Fleur sighed a little. "Although to be quite honest with you, my mother would much rather see Mordred not just as a Regent, but a full on Delacour, with all of his treasures and possessions in the hands of House Delacour, or more precisely, hers. I sometimes even question the soundness of her mind, when I hear of her ambitions and how she will make them into reality."

"What do you mean by that, Fleur?" Pyrrha asked of her. "You don't mean to say that your mother would deliberately force Mordred…"

"Oh, I believe she would, if she had the chance to do so, but instead she settled on me going to Hogwarts with you." Fleur told Pyrrha, who was in a light shock after hearing of it. "Pyrrha, Veelas are a highly possessive race, and one that has little regard for certain concepts, especially when it comes to their chosen mates or to power, whether magical or political. And because of that, House Delacour has always been a rather problematic House for Pendragons to deal with. More often than not, my House had found itself as an enemy of House Pendragon, and only relatively recently did our relations improve, thanks to Lord Arthur and my father's friendship. My mother, unfortunately, doesn't seem to notice how her plans may jeopardize the trust my House has restored with such hardships. I'm trying to make sure that my House both prospers and doesn't once again become pariahs."

"I didn't know it was that important for you, Fleur." Pyrrha admitted to her. "Fine, if Mordred doesn't mind this, I'm prepared to talk to my mother about this arrangement. But only if Mordred is also on this."

"Naturally, I would never… What is that sound?' Fleur said, as she and Pyrrha rose up and went to the door, opening it up.

"Ungrateful squib! You have some nerve, to show your face in here!" That voice, while unknown to Fleur and Pyrrha, was shouting at Mordred, who looked rather impassively at the owner of it. "What, didn't you have enough of my family's misery? Just you wait, once we are in Hogwarts, I'll make sure you pay for every knut you and your whore of a mother stole from me!"

"Quite big words, coming from a wet behind his ears child." Mordred commented, before turning to his left. "Oh, Pyrrha, Fleur, sorry I couldn't find us tea. Instead, I found these three ticks sticking to me and trying to piss me off." Mordred pointed towards the trio of what appeared to be first years, consisting of a bushy haired girl and two red headed boys, with one having emerald eyes.

"What did you just call us?!" The second red head shouted at him. "You should be more respectful to us! I'm a Weasley, and this is your brother right here!"

"Brother?" Fleur cocked her brow up at that one, looking at Mordred, before taking a glance of the boy in question.

"Yes, this almost-Weasley is my former younger brother and so-called Boy-Who-Lived, Jamie Potter." Mordred pointed at him.

The boy had the facial features of James Potter, but his hair and eyes were of his mother, Lily Potter, and both Fleur and Pyrrha found that Mordred and Jamie looked practically nothing alike. One looked like a fairy tale prince, while the other looked like a spoiled, bitter and arrogant boy that didn't know his betters, and also one that clearly kept a not so interesting company. The other boy was clearly the youngest of Weasleys, most definitely a lackey and someone who tried to use his position to better himself. Such was the way of Weasleys for ages, ever since they've been driven out of France and their original Noble name was forgotten and removed from all records.

The girl looked rather unimpressive and not very interesting, aside from her longer frontal teeth and bushy brown hair, along with a look that spoke of someone who took great pride in herself. Both Fleur and Pyrrha could see it in her eyes and posture, that this girl thought herself if not superior, then at least better than the two companions she had here with her. And as for the reason why she with them, all three of them guessed that it was either to get into good graces with Jamie Potter and to make him her friend, or to show off, not that it mattered to them.

"Excuse me, but he is the Boy-Who-Lived, and as such you have to show proper respect to him. After all, he is the one who destroyed He Who Must Not Be Named." The girl stated with a pride in her voice. "It is a universally known fact that you, Harry Potter, are a thief and if not for your diplomatic immunity, you would be arrested and sent to jail."

"I am sorry, but who are you, exactly, to call my friend and thief and threaten him with jail, little girl?" Fleur didn't take kindly to her words, as she moved in front of the girl, menacingly. "Why don't you and your two companions run off and leave the grownups to their business, instead trying to show off and make a fool out of yourself."

"Show off?! I am Hermione Granger, and I will have you know…" Suddenly, Hermione's voice gone, but her lips continued to move, as she ranted and didn't even notice how she wasn't even heard by others.

"What a rude girl. I don't think she has a lot of friends." Pyrrha commented, after she casted her silencing charm without a wand.

"Hey, how did you do it? Nobody can do wandless magic! You must be a dark witch!" Weasley shouted at Pyrrha, who stood flabbergast at his proclamation. "I'll report you to the Aurors and have you arrested! And then they…"

"And then I'll have you three put in your compartment without the right to leave." Suddenly, Valerio Medici spoke up, as he appeared behind the trio of first year students, with two more Aurors behind him. "I believe it was made crystal clear, that Hogwarts students weren't allowed in this passenger car, since it is used by the foreign exchange students. Since you three have clearly broken the rule, you'll be reported and I'll see to it that you don't cause any more trouble to anyone." He motioned to his two companions to get the kids out of here.

"This is not over yet, Harry! You'll pay for stealing from me and my family!" Jamie stated to Mordred, seething hatred and malice towards him.

"Good luck with that, thief." Mordred told him back, before nodding to Valerio. "Thanks for getting him and his friends out of here. Though I fear that these three tick will be sucking my blood for a long time now."

"Aren't you afraid that he or his parents might do something to you?" Valerio asked of Mordred, who shook his head.

"Nah, they won't. If they like living as much as they hate me, then they'll not do anything. They are still under the magical contract, so even if they plan something against me, they'll just end up killing themselves." Mordred told Valerio, who understood and recalled it.

"Right, now I remember. Well, I now have to go and explain why did I just put their celebrity under house arrest. I'll come by to talk some time later." Valerio told them, as the trio were starting to get back into compartment.

"And grab us some tea or coffee while you are at it, big brother." Pyrrha asked him, with Valerio giving her a bemused look, as she closed the door behind her.

"You know, sometimes I have to remind myself, that he is your brother, and not your butler." Mordred chuckled.

"Well, if you want, you could always be our butler, Mordred." Pyrrha jokingly offered.

"Yes! You always look fantastic in a suit, and the butler one's would look just as fine! But we'll need to do something about your hair though, not the color, but how it is made…" Fleur made a serious face as she thought about it. "A ponytail, with a black ribbon made into a bow. You would look just so classic and also so…"

"In your dreams, girls. In your dreams." Mordred simply told them, as they laughed and returned to their seats.

The rest of the trip to Hogwarts went relatively quietly and without any trouble for the trio. Valerio did come by later, with a tray filled with snacks and tea and coffee, a gesture that was greatly appreciated by the trio, especially by the girls. They stayed for hours, just talking and spending time together as a family would, and Valerio was most definitely a family to Mordred. A couple of times they've spoken of the mission, but it never was at length or in a particularly deep manner.

They simply exchanged a couple of remarks and nothing more, with none wishing to develop the discussion beyond that point. Valerio didn't press them, simply telling them that he has made sure that his Aurors didn't give them trouble when they go looking for the Stone. Along with that, he instructed them to be extra careful around their British counterparts and teachers, as well as not to trust them. There was also a standing order for them all to look for any unusual things happening in the castle, as those could point them towards Voldemort, who undoubtedly would be somewhere in the area, if not inside the castle proper. Mordred told Valerio, as well as the girls, that if Voldemort does appear in his proximity, even if he is masked or hidden, Mordred will still identify him. When asked how will he know, Mordred simply replied that one never forgets the man that tortured his mind for two years. After that, the questions on that topic seized.

* * *

**Hogwarts.**

After hours and hours of non-stop riding, the train had finally reached its destination and stopped, allowing the students to disembark it. All of the students were leaving the train already dressed in robes, including Mordred, Pyrrha and Fleur, with all three not very impressed or liking them, as they've grown up wearing more comfortable and functional garments. Mordred in particular found robes to be stuffy, difficult to maneuver in a combat situation or of any use when it came to battle.

Having been trained in the Old Ways by Raven, he grew to appreciate garments not by their looks, but by their pragmatic value and functionality, and robes sorely lacked in those. He felt constrained in them, with his movements being just the tiny bit more sluggish-like than they usually are. For a normal wizard, there wouldn't be much of an issue or trouble in this, but for Mordred, who grew up always being ready to fight… Even a slight detriment the speed and reflexes of his body could make all the difference between winning or losing the fight. Raven taught him that lesson all too well.

Once everyone had left the train and were organized into groups, the returning students were going to Hogwarts via what appeared to be enchanted carriages. From the first glance, Mordred believed it to be so, but then he also felt that it wasn't the case and had used his magic to sense if there was something more about those carriages. Turns out, Mordred was correct, as the carriages were being pulled by thestrals, bony and grim looking horse-like creatures, that were invisible for those who hadn't witnessed death and hadn't accepted its reality.

Mordred have read and learned about these interesting creatures from his family's library, as well as from Sona and his mother. His own wand, made out of ebony, possessed a two cores, combined into a singular one, with one being made of the unicorn hair tail, while the other thestral's hair tail. Such a combination would be considered heretical by the British wizards and witches, but in France, it wasn't as uncommon as one would think. While combined cores were very hard in production and only someone of great skill could work with them, Nephilims had hundreds of years in their disposal, and some have used them to become masters of their crafts, like wand making. Mordred's own wand with its cores was now not just very powerful, but also without flaws in performance and power regulation. Even though Mordred had hardly ever put his wand to use, he did take good care of it, as there might come a situation in which he will require it.

While the returning students were going to Hogwarts via carriages, the newcomers, including foreign exchange students were travelling via boats across the lake. The reason as to why the exchange students were making their way via boats alongside the first years was because of Dumbledore's request, so as to allow the newcomers to experience the splendor and magnificence of Hogwarts, just as all those that come here for the first time do. While some were impressed at the sight of the great castle rising above the lake, Mordred wasn't one such person, as his eyes weren't filled with awe and astonishment.

Behind his blue eyes, there was a fire of hatred and fury burning, as well as a ghost of past suffering resurfacing. Hogwarts was the place where he had been magically mutilated and then tossed out like trash, this was the place where his very being and soul had been put through purgatory, before being sent to hell, and yet he survived. And now he was back, forged anew and stronger than ever and he will see his job completed, even if he has to tear this place down one brick at the time. A part of him was more than willing to do so.

Once the boats have reached the shores and students had been allowed to disembark, they've went to the entrance of the castle. It was then when Mordred reached the first steps of the castle that he sensed how the magical energies were starting to encroach on him. He felt as if thousands of the invisible tendrils were starting to crawl upon his skin, a feeling of disgust and anger was spreading through his being. It was clear to Mordred that the castle's energies were trying to get a read on him, to connect with him and reveal his secrets to the master of these energies, Dumbledore.

Young Pendragon wasn't going to allow such a thing to happen, but as he was preparing to unleash a small wave of his energy, he felt how the tendrils suddenly withdrew from him and Hogwarts's magic suddenly shifted around him. He felt like was now standing in the middle of a hurricane of potent magical power, formed by Hogwarts itself, which now seemed to flow around Mordred and sever all the attempts at getting to him through magic. He couldn't quite understand it, but it seemed as if Hogwarts itself was now protecting him from any sort of harm and probing. Mordred speculated that this had something to do with the source of Hogwarts's power, mentioned in the letter by Grayfia. Now he knew for certain that he will investigate it as soon as he has the chance.

Soon after they've entered the castle and right before they reached the doors into the main hall, they were greeted by Minerva McGonagall, who stopped the group and spoke up.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She greeted them all. "In a few moments you will enter the main hall and join your classmates, but before that you all must be sorted. The Sorting will determine which house you will belong to and with whom you will live while studying here. The Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." She said the last part looking at Mordred, who didn't react to it in any way.

"The House you will be sorted in will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, while your failures will take them away, and at the end of the year, the House with most points shall be awarded the House Cup." She continued. "These are the same rules both for the newcomers, as well as our guest from other countries. Once the Sorting ceremony has been completed, you will be sorted into your classes in accordance to your age. The ceremony shall begin in a few moments." With that said, she immediately left them.

"Sorting into 4 different, obviously competing Houses? What is this, medieval times? Oh wait, it is, at least in these parts of the world." To Mordred's left, spoke up a handsome raven-haired young boy with blue eyes, on whose lips played a light smile, as he turned to Mordred. "And it looks like the Mrs. Deputy Headmistress got her eye on you, Mordred. I'd watch out if I were you, 'cause she seems like the last person you would want to piss off."

"I'll keep that in mind, but who…" Mordred was about to ask, but the boy interrupted him again.

"Whoops, sorry. I sometimes let my mouth get ahead of my brain." He laughed it off, before offering his hand to Mordred. "Blake Rosier, we've actually met some 7 years ago. We were in the same class, back when you attended Beauxbatons, before… Well, before you decided to do something more awesome, from what Charle told me." Mordred shook his hand.

"Yes, I remember you, and I didn't know you were friends with Charlotte. She only lets her friends and family call her Charle." Mordred noted out with a bit of an edge in his voice, at the mention of his surname. "I didn't know she was friends with someone from the Rosier family."

"Yeah, not a fan of the surname either, but I didn't pick it up. I prefer most just call me Blake, and you can relax about me being a member of House Rosier and all that Death Eaters stuff." Blake told Mordred directly, with the latter not sensing even the slightest hint of lies in him. "Never knew much of my father and his family, since he was killed in the war or something like that, and since mom died in childbirth, I was raised by my grandparents in Spain, away from all the nonsense. By the way, out of curiosity, what are you even doing here? I mean, you aren't a student at the Academy, so how did you get roped into all of this?"

"Politics." Was all that Mordred answered, with Blake nodding to him.

"It was one of the conditions of Dumbledore, to have Mordred here if the program was to have a green light." Fleur spoke up, as she came close to them along with Pyrrha. "So you can blame Mordred for us being forced to spend our year here."

"Really? What did you do to the old geezer? Kill his favorite parrot or something?" Blake asked Mordred.

"Among other things, including robbing his favorite arselickers of their money." Mordred replied with a small smirk, which got a laugh out of Blake.

"Yeah, I've heard that one, and from what my grandparents told me, they deserved it." Blake noted, with Mordred nodding to him "So, any guesses to which House you will be sorted to? I personally hope for Hufflepuff."

"Really? Not Gryffindor or Slytherin?" Mordred asked, with Blake blowing a raspberry at the mention of those two Houses.

"These two are overrated, if you ask me, and from what I heard, the one produces prideful, self-centered gits, while the other pumps out scheming, lying sycophants, so no thank you." Blake explained his reasoning. "As for why the Hufflepuff, folks there seem to be the better ilk then the most here, and they actually have a pretty awesome symbol in ratel."

"You mean their badger is awesome?" Pyrrha asked of Blake, who nodded to her.

"Yup, didn't you know that? I mean it's actually the most awesome one of the four, Helga Hufflepuff must've really liked the idea of putting the single beast that neither of the other three can't even kill as her House's symbol." Blake told them. "Ratels, or honey badgers, are some of the most wicked creatures in existence. Their skin and fur are so dense and thick that not even lion's teeth and claws can't pierce, and it can shrug off a bite of a cobra before tearing it to shreds with its claws, literally, plus no bird will ever even be able to grab it, thanks to the fur and skin. I mean, this has got to be some genius level of trolling right there." Blake laughed as he thought about it.

"Now that I think about it…" Pyrrha was about to state her thought, when the doors into the hall opened up and the group was led inside.

The main hall was just as Mordred had remembered it to be, with only now tables and seats placed here, instead of it being completely empty from the last time he was here. The moment he passed the very spot where he Dumbledore and Potters had performed their inhumane ritual upon him, he involuntarily shuddered, being reminded of that event once more. Pyrrha and Fleur saw how uncomfortable he was, and moved closer to him, putting their hands in to his, so as to calm him down. The motion helped and Mordred was glad that they were here with him right now.

Aside from the students, there was also a number of Aurors, both British and foreign, watching the procession pass the hall and heading towards the head table, where all of teachers and senior staff members were seated. Mordred immediately noticed both Potters glaring at him, while he simply answered to their angered looks with his own smirk, as if to challenge them to do something about him. But they didn't, and Mordred didn't pay them much of a mind, before his attention was fixed upon Dumbledore, who looked at him carefully, with a twinkle in his eyes. Already, Mordred could feel that the old goat was trying to pierce his defenses and get inside his mind, but both Hogwarts' protection and his new amulet were stopping him. It was clear that the old man wasn't happy at not being able to read Mordred like a book, but he did hide it well enough, as he rose up to give his speech.

"I have a few words to share, before we begin." Dumbledore began. "First of all, I would like to remind all first year students and our guests that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden for all students to visit. And I would also like to remind everyone that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds for everyone who does not wish to die the most painful death. That is all." He finished, leaving more than a few people guessing as to why he mentioned that floor, except for Mordred.

'The third floor on the right hand side… Is this supposed to be a bait for me, Jamie or Voldemort, or for all of us at the same time?' Mordred thought to himself, before his senses suddenly picked up something that immediately made him tense up, as he sensed an overly familiar presence. 'That presence… He is already here.' But before Mordred could turn his head towards the source of that presence, he suddenly heard how McGonagall spoke up his former name.

"Harry Potter!" She called out, with the hall in murmurs, while Potters, teachers and Dumbledore, as well as some others, have had their sight fixed upon Mordred, who obviously missed the beginning and some part of the sorting ceremony.

"Harry Potter, would please come here to get sorted?" Professor McGonagall called him out again, with Mordred letting out an irritated sigh, but not stepping out, while other students, including many of the first year olds, were starting to glare at him.

"She is calling your name, you should go and get sorted!" Hermione Granger said with force, though to Mordred it seemed more like a joke, but he decided to do so, just to put a quicker end to this.

"Just for the record," The moment he stepped close to Professor, he suddenly grabbed the list out of her hand, shocking most of the hall, including her and Dumbledore, before he conjured up a pen and crossed his name there. "My name is Mordred Arthur Pendragon, son of House Pendragon and if you forget it, Professor, I'll be only glad to remind you." Once he stated it, he shoved the list back into her hands, with his real name written there instead of his former one.

"H-how dare you…" The experienced professor was nearly beside herself at the gall of Mordred, but Mordred didn't care for her ramblings, as he took the hat and placed it on top of his head.

**_"_****_Oh, what do we have here… Mordred Pendragon, heir to the lines of King Arthur and Morgana Le Fay, and one that seems to be getting an unusual amount of attention and favor from Hogwarts itself." _**The Sorting Hat spoke in Mordred's mind in an amused tone. **_"Hm, my how prepared we've come here to me. It has been ages since I met someone whom I couldn't read completely, and yet I can't even see the smallest thing about you… How vexing."_**

'Like I would reveal a single thing about myself to something like you. Especially given the fact of you being an instrument of Dumbledore's use.' Mordred remarked to the hat, internally happy that it couldn't read him. 'Just get this over with, hat.'

**_"_****_Well, usually I have to read the mind to understand to which House the student would be best suited for, but unfortunately for you, the choice was made for you already." _**The Hat revealed to Mordred, who understood that that he was about to be put into one House he didn't want to go. **"GRYFFINDOR!"**

"Of all the… Bad move, Dumbledore, bad move." Mordred said loud enough so that the headmaster and his deputy heard him loud and clear, before he took the hat off of his head and gave it to McGonagall. "You have my sympathies, Professor."

"Why would I need your sympathies, Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked of him, still fuming at his gall.

"Because I will probably make your life a living hell, as a thank you for forgetting my real name again, and for being placed into one House, where I'll probably have to murder everyone just to get some peace and quiet." Mordred told Professor, who was left shocked at his proclamation, as Mordred walked away from her and headed towards his table.

No applause had followed him, as he sat at the free spot with the students around him giving Mordred some space, which was appreciated. Not that he was interested in any of them, as he recalled sensing a presence that he was about to investigate, before being called out. Once seated, he shifted his gaze around the table, following his senses and, ignoring glares and curious gazes of others, Mordred's vision came upon one of the teachers, who had a turban on his head. The teacher himself was trying not to look at Mordred, and it showed, but it wasn't the man himself that Pendragon was interested in.

It was the parasite that was hidden behind his turban, whose reeking presence Mordred recognized the second her sensed him.

It was Voldemort, and he was here for the Stone, just like he was.

* * *

**Phew, been a while since I've written such long chapters, but you guys deserve it so I hope you enjoy it. As you can see I did decide to go with the harem route, so as to not leave any of the ladies crying and not cause any form of Pendragon-Delacour conflict or something like that. Not much for me to say at the moment, safe for the fact that you can expect Voldy to be leaving sooner than later.**

**Oh, and if you have any suggestions about what that source is, feel free to write me in the reviews. Always appreciate your opinion on the subjects.**

**Next time: Meeting of the enemies; Dragon vs. Serpant**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hogwarts. Gryffindor dorm. 2****nd**** September.**

Mordred's eyes opened up, as he was greeted by the sounds of his roommates still sleeping and snoring loudly, something that he had expected to happen, given the fact that he long since took it to habit to wake up at 5 am. Having risen up, after dispelling protecting charms that dissuaded his neighbors from doing something nasty to him, Mordred washed up and dressed up, before quietly leaving the dorm and Gryffindor tower. Mordred now had a good opportunity to explore the place without trouble, gather information and familiarize himself with Hogwarts, whose energies were still circling around him in a protective manner. Having not forgotten about what Grayfia had written to him, Mordred did make a mental note to visit the place, but for now he decided to use this opportunity to look that that corridor that Dumbledore mentioned.

Mordred made his way to the said flour and to the door of the said corridor, while also taking note of the fact that the paintings nearby were asleep, but that didn't mean that Mordred was willing to drop his guard. His charmed locket was on him, as well as the ring, which, upon the closing of distance to the door, extended its yellow light towards the door. Mordred followed it and came towards it, before feeling a small, almost unnoticeable call to try and open the door, something that he didn't feel before. Young Pendragon would've dismissed something like that under normal circumstances, but here in Hogwarts, where he couldn't trust most people and things, he was forced to be extra careful. He touched the door with his ringed finger and now the charm was revealed to him, as the ethereal lines appeared before Mordred.

The pattern was familiar to Mordred, and he recognized this as a compulsion charm, created to make anyone who approaches the door try and open it. For a second there, Mordred was confused as to why would such a charm even be put here, as if to forcefully lead people to open the door. He expected charms to hide and conceal this place, protective wards and barriers, but nothing like this. Mordred asked himself, if Dumbledore and the Order have decided to set up a trap for Voldemort through this, by using the Stone as a bait. And if so, was Dumbledore already aware of the fact that one of his professors, namely Quirinus Quirrell, as he learned from listening his now housemates, was possessed by Voldemort? Or was this a trap intended not for Voldemort, but also for him as well? Too many questions were inside Mordred's head, and too little information was available to him. Before he acted, he needed to be sure that he was deliberately walking into some sort of trap.

Deciding not remove the charm, so as to not alert Dumbledore about the corridor being explored by anyone, Mordred saw that aside from that compulsion charm, the door was locked on a key. A single soundless spell and the door opened up for Mordred, before it closed behind him. Moving through the door, Mordred immediately noted that the smell in the air was definitely different from the others, as it now smelled wet unwashed dog, with the second thing he noticed being sound of strange snoring. Quietly, Mordred made his way forward, and soon enough, he understood why he smelled and heard all of that, as he came face to faces with a giant three-headed dog, a Cerberus.

Having been to Greece a couple of times with his family as a guest to their Greek relatives, Mordred knew quite a great deal about these beasts. House of Komnenos-Macedoni was rather famous among Pendragon families as the House that had made its fortunes on taming, breeding and researching rare and powerful magical beasts, with Cerberus being one of them. In fact, Mordred knew for certain that the only place one could get a Cerberus like this was through House Komnenos-Macedoni, and they weren't cheap. Cerberus were good in guarding something or someone, and they could only be disable through music. It was fortunate for Mordred that the Cerberus before he was still asleep and his locket was working.

Getting over the surprise, Mordred began to examine the beast, finding nothing out of the ordinary, but he quickly found out what exactly the beast was guarding. Beneath his heads was situated a trap door, confirming Mordred's suspicion that all this was clearly intended for not just keeping the Stone safe, but also to as a trap. He would have to be careful when springing it. Deciding that he had enough, Mordred was preparing to leave the corridor, when he suddenly heard the lock being opened. Without a second to waste, Mordred bolted towards the darkest place in this corridor he could find, so as to not get found. Soon enough, the door closed up and he heard soft footsteps heading towards him and the beast, and before long, Mordred saw the person that had opened up the door.

To his surprise, it wasn't a member of Hogwarts' staff or Voldemort, but a young, mature looking girl, with blonde, long sun-kissed hair made into a thick braid that reached to her knees and was held by a blue bow. She a very developed figure that could compete with that of Pyrrha, despite being dressed in robes, yet she moved without any sort of trouble in them. Mordred recalled that she was one of the exchange students that arrived with him and the others, but he couldn't deduce what exactly was her purpose here. He observed her carefully entering the room and looking at the Cerberus, finding the trap door there as well. However, unlike Mordred, it looked like the girl wasn't going to leave it be, as she suddenly raised her hand and Mordred, much to his surprise, began to feel magic coursing through her, and she wasn't holding a wand. He wasn't looking at one of the run of the mill witches, but someone who could also be a practitioner of the Old Way!

Shocked with such a thought, Mordred didn't notice how the girl's form suddenly stiffened up, and the moment when she shifted her interest from Cerberus towards Mordred. In the next moment, she quickly turned towards Mordred and blasted him with a powerful disabling charm, hitting Mordred straight into his stomach and making him expel air out of his lungs loudly. Girl used this opportunity to close the distance, with a thin sword already in her hand and its blade pointed towards Mordred. Mordred saw in her amethyst eyes complete determination to kill him, but once she had gotten a closer look at him, he saw shock and surprise on her face.

"Mordred?" She suddenly asked, her guard dropping as well as her sword suddenly being dispelled from existence. "What are you doing here?"

"How… do you… know me?" Mordred was still recovering his breath, before composing himself back, along with the girl, who now clearly gotten past her shock, but didn't seek to attack him.

"How do I… Well, you _are _kinda a celebrity now, after how you've put our future Head of the House in her place." She said with a chuckle, before recalling that he didn't even know her. "Oh, and I didn't mean to blast you, and…"

"I believe you certainly did intend, as well as to cut me up, but it seems I'm not on your list of people to kill." Mordred commented. "Now, if you don't mind answering a few questions…" It was then that both Mordred and the girl have heard the dog suddenly waking up.

"Let's take this somewhere else, okay?" The girl suggested, and they quickly left the corridor, before making their way to one of the unused classrooms on the third floor. "Phew, now we shouldn't have any unwanted attention. Anyway, to answer your first question, yes, I am the Old Ways practitioner, and no, I'm not a simple exchange student, much like you are. And the second answer, my name is Leticia Delys."

"Leticia of Lily?" Mordred asked of her, with said girl nodding with a small smile. "Reminds me of Fleur de Lis. Anyway, where did you learn the Old Way, what's your purpose in Hogwarts?" To make himself look more intimidating, as well as to ready himself just in case, Mordred flared up his magical energy.

"Please, there is no need to being so aggressive. I am here for the same reason as you are, I believe." Leticia stated to him in an appeasing tone.

"And what purpose would that be?" Mordred asked of her.

"To find and destroy the Philosopher's Stone, of course." Leticia stated without a doubt, surprising Mordred and making him wonder how did she know of it, before he saw her reach out to under her robes and pulling something out. "And this is how I know about it." She took off her neck a small medallion and handed it to him.

Mordred took it, looking at the silver pendant, made into a form of heraldic lily that was used by France throughout its history. Turning it over on the other side, Mordred saw that a figure of young woman engulfed in flames, with the wings of fire on the other sides. It didn't take long for Mordred to realize from where this girl came from, as he handed the pendant back to her.

"You are from the Order of Martyred Lady." Mordred stated it as a fact, with Leticia nodding to him, hiding her symbol back. "The Vatican is also aware of the Stone?"

"Why else would dispatch someone like me here?" Leticia asked of him, with Mordred agreeing with her.

Out of all the people in the world, as well as all the players in the politics of the Magical World, Mordred expected to see the Church being involved in this mess as well, not to mention to see it send one of its exorcists, as their operatives were known. Throughout history, Church, as well as many other religious organizations, have pursued, prosecuted and oppressed wizards and witches indiscriminately and without mercy. This continued for hundreds of years, until the Great Magical War, when Jeanne d'Arc had joined the war and began to wage it against the Englishmen and their wizards and witches.

Her example, selfishness and devotion to the Lord and saving France had inspired many young witches of the time to follow in her footsteps, later becoming Jeanne's personal bodyguards, and later, after her death, the founding members of the Order of Martyred Lady, the first magical Order, that was also dedicated to the Lord and its ways, as well as protecting people from the dangers of magical world. The Catholic Church recognized the power, as well as devotion of these militant witches, and have decided to put their vigorous fighting spirit and powerful abilities to good use, and that is in service of the God.

Ever since the end of the Great Magical War, the Order of Martyred Lady carried out the will of the God and served to protect the people from the magical threats, sometimes even to the point of being declared heretics by the Church. The Order is one of the few remaining organizations that still practices the Old Ways and refuses to abolish it, as well as to completely conform and become subservient to any of the Ministries, or to the ICW. Its members include only women and, over the centuries, they have spread throughout Europe, Americas and even to Asia, a little.

It's members, known as sisters, range in their duties from being healers, teachers, preachers, to being exorcists, priestesses and witch hunters. While nowhere near as zealous and ferocious in their pursuit of witches and wizards as the Inquisition was, the Order matches its dedication and readiness to defend and die for the good of people. Several of the Pendragon family members throughout centuries have willingly even joined them, and have risen to great heights in the Order. In fact, Lord Gawain the Defender's little sister, Eleanora Pendragon, was one of Jeanne's closest friends and a founding member of the Order, so between the Order and Pendragon bloodline always were friendly and amicable relations.

"Still, that doesn't exactly explain how did you find out about the Stone and how were you able to get into list of exchange students." Mordred pointed out, before answering for Leticia. "I'll take a wild guess and say that the Order has connections in the Ministry and your superiors have pulled some strings to get you sent here, though were anyone of the Beauxbatons to be asked about you, they wouldn't know who you are, and you might be in trouble."

"That part has also been taken care of, but thank you for your concern." Leticia told him. "I won't go into much detail, but safe to say, there won't be much questions about me."

"You are an awfully chatty person, especially for an infiltrator." Mordred noted to Leticia, who chuckled a little.

"Well, to be quiet honest, I've never been all that great with lying or making things up about myself. So, I just speak up my mind and don't really lie, since lying is a sin in the eyes of the Lord." Leticia admitted to him.

"And yet, here you are, doing what could be considered sinful in the eyes of God." Mordred pointed out to Leticia, who looked at him with serious eyes.

"I may strive to follow in Lord's ways, but there are times when one must commit a sin so that others do not do so. A sacrifice of one for the prosperity of many is the cornerstone of my Order." Leticia explained to Mordred. "I volunteered to come here and see that Stone destroyed once and for all. This has been my Order's goal for hundreds of years, and I'll see it completed, no matter what." Mordred could practically feel the dedication and determination emanating from Leticia.

"So, what are we to do with each other then?" Mordred asked of Leticia, who blinked a couple of times in seeming confusion. "You know why I'm here, and I know why I'm here. While we may have a common goal, that doesn't make us allies or friends per say…"

"Well, I would want us to be friends. What do you say to that?" Leticia said with a smile, while Mordred wasn't buying it, crossing his arms on his chest.

"How do I know that you aren't one of Dumbledore's goons that he employed to get to be my friend and manipulate me through you in the future? How do I know that everything you've said is actually true and isn't false?" Mordred asked of Leticia, who, for her part, didn't even look insulted before doing something that surprised Mordred.

"I swear upon my magic and before God, that all I have said before is truth, and that I serve the Lord, the Order and have no intention of seeing the Stone being put to use by anyone, and that honestly wish to be friends with Mordred Pendragon." Magic confirmed Leticia's words being true, which honestly surprised Mordred. "So, does that put your mind at ease? I could also do the Unbreakable Vow if you want."

"No, that's… That will do…" Mordred told Leticia, who smiled to him. "You really are sincere, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." Leticia said it as if it was something to be proud of. "Some of the sisters have often scolded me about it, saying that being like that would make others think I'm stupid. I personally think that sincerity and being open towards others is not something to be shy about. I suppose you'll probably think that I'm stupid too."

"Not really, it's a nice trait to have, though not in our line of current work." Mordred admitted to Leticia, before sighing. "You know, I must admit that you are something else, not in a bad way. You are just… unique."

"Thanks, you are also unique in your own right." Leticia told him with a smile, making Mordred smile too. "So, do you want to be friends now?" Mordred blinked a couple of times before speaking up.

"Um, shouldn't friends first know more about each other?" Mordred asked of Leticia, who didn't wait with the answer.

"Well, you know why I'm here, that I don't want to hurt you, and that I'm also a member of the Order." Leticia counted the things she revealed to Mordred. "I think you know plenty about me, at least for the start up. And I know a thing or two about you already, but if I were to get to know you more, than it would make me happy."

"You like making new friends out of all the strangers you meet for the first time?" Mordred asked of Leticia.

"Only those that have a good heart in them." Leticia replied to him.

"And I have one?"

"Yes, you do, though it has been scared and burned by flames of treachery, malice and cruelty, but you are still a good person, Mordred." Leticia replied, surprising him yet again. "So, do you wanna try and be friends?"

On that question, Mordred couldn't give a definitive answer in an instant, but he could tell one thing. This girl was unlike any that he had met before, and not just because of her looks or personality. Leticia was practically radiating with the sense of calmness, simple joy and ease, just by being near him. It was as if she wasn't a highly trained warrior, prepared to fight and kill without any hesitation, but a simple girl that liked to make new friends, with the sincerest eyes that Mordred had seen. There was something… different, otherworldly about Leticia, something that made her stand out.

And Mordred could tell from that moment onward, that he'd rather be friends with Leticia.

"Yes." Mordred gave his answer after some pondering about it, making Leticia smile even more.

* * *

**Several hours later. Main hall.**

The main hall of Hogwarts was once again filled with the students, who now were there to have their breakfast before heading to their assigned classes. While the dishes and foods provided by the house elves were nothing like the feast that was yesterday, there were still more than enough to fill the stomachs of all the students. But it wasn't the foods that Pyrrha and Fleur were concerned about, as the two were actively trying to find Mordred, and so far they had no success. They had expected him to be easy to find, given the fact that after yesterday everyone preferred to give him some space, but right now neither of the new two students of Hufflepuff and Slytherin were capable of locating him.

Both girls had hoped that they would be sorted in the same House as Mordred, but the Sorting Hat, even with both girls stating that they wanted to be in Gryffindor, has decided to separate them away from Mordred, with Pyrrha being put into Hufflepuff, while Fleur was sent into the dungeons with Slytherin. While Pyrrha had little to no trouble blending in with her new housemates, Fleur was far from fortunate in that regard. Just she had heard, House Slytherin was filled to the brim with pure-blood snobs and racist, that didn't waste time to pick on Fleur and try to put her in her place, so to speak.

In a matter of just one evening, Fleur was forced to endure a near endless stream of slurs, insults, dirty insinuations and humiliations that left her feeling so disgusting that it made her wish to go back home. She wasn't, of course, going to just give up and go pack her things back, even if her new head of the House, Severus Snape, has outright humiliated her in some of the worst fashion by stating before everyone that she was mentally not developed as they were. He even called her a prostitute by stating that all Veelas were creatures of lust and low desires, and that he will not tolerate Fleur acting like that. She was red with indignation, while all of Slytherins laughed and belittled her, and Fleur had nothing to say back, as she was in just too great of a shock. She simply headed towards her own room, past insensitive brutes and callous sows that populated her faculty.

Young Heiress of House Delacour wasn't going to just allow them to belittle them for no good reason, for she was the heiress of House Delacour and her already chosen husband was none other than Mordred Pendragon. She may've not been able to do anything about the treatment she received, she could however request, or rather demand, assistance from Mordred to put Slytherins in their place. In accordance to the law, Branch Families were able to call upon the ruling family to settle disputes and to protect their interests, and right now Fleur believed her interests were being threatened. She could simply withdraw from Hogwarts, as there was such an option for the exchange students, if they could give a valid reason. However, pride and determination in getting Mordred wasn't going to allow Fleur to do so, especially when she perceived a great chance of some scheming sow that studied here to sink her claws into Mordred. It would ruin everything that Fleur had carefully planned and it would result in her losing her position in Mordred's life as his main and first wife, which she wasn't going to abide by.

"Where is Mordred?! Ugh, why is that when he is needed the most, he is nowhere to be found?!" Fleur practically raved, with Pyrrha simply shaking her head. "I swear, he can so unreliable at times that is infuriating!"

"I've never known Mordred to be unreliable, and you know that, Fleur, so stop criticizing him for your imaginative faults." Pyrrha chided her, earning her a heated glare from the Delacour heiress. "There can be a number of reasons as to why Mordred is not here. He could've just skipped breakfast and went to train a little, or it is possible that he was called to Headmaster's office, given how he behaved yesterday."

"That does not excuse his absence in my eyes." Fleur simply huffed, anger burning hot in her. "An heiress of House Delacour is in great distress here, and where is? Nowhere to be found, what a good for nothing…" Suddenly, Pyrrha conjured up a glass of water, before splashing Fleur with that water. "What was that for, Pyrrha?!"

"To calm you down, before I had to slap you." Pyrrha said with steel in her voice, meaning that she was serious. "Look, I understand that Slytherins have all abused you through words and insulted you to no ends, but that is no excuse to insult and belittle Mordred for just not being here at your call. In case you've forgotten, he isn't here for fun or so as to make his personal life, but to do his duty, and I'm here to help him. However, I do have to question what purpose do you have here, Fleur."

"Of course I'm here to help him with that task." Fleur immediately answered. "What, do you think that just because you were trained in the Old Way, it gives you any sort of advantage in spending time with him? No it does not."

"So you are here not as much as to help Mordred, but rather, you are here to facilitate your relations with him?" Pyrrha asked of her, with Fleur deciding not to answer that. "Fleur, this isn't one of those adventure stories you've read as a child. There is little room for romance when you are in a castle, that is run by enemies and where your every step is watched. And if you were to pursue Mordred in such a way, do you think Dumbledore and the others would just allow it to happen without any interference? More than likely, they would use it for their own ends."

"You are overestimating the threat they pose, Pyrrha. Besides, why else would there be Aurors placed here from our country, led by Valerio?" Fleur asked of Pyrrha.

"Then why don't you go and talk to my brother about yesterday's abuse?" Pyrrha asked of her. "He is responsible for the safety of all exchange students here, and what happened to you was clearly an assault upon you. Let's go and find him."

"What, and deny me the chance of demonstrating those inbred imbeciles what it means to assault a member of Pendragon bloodline? Not a chance." Fleur huffed, with Pyrrha restraining herself from facepalming herself. "Oh, look, there he is… Wait, who is that sow with him?!" Fleur all but screeched, making Pyrrha turn to where her friend was pointing towards.

She saw Mordred enter the main hall, but he wasn't alone, coming with a rather beautiful and easy on the eyes girl that Pyrrha believed was one of the exchange students. She was a little surprised to see Mordred chatting with her without any seeming reservations and the girl talking to like they were friends for a long time. While such fraternity was enough to infuriate already raging storm that was Fleur Delacour, Pyrrha Nikos took this without much trouble, and was actually glad to see Mordred smiling. She wasn't blind or as emotional as her friend, and she knew that Mordred had few friends and wasn't as quick to make them as the others, but he was someone who could read a person like a book when he needed to. He'd never become friends with someone who would mean him harm or was going to use him, and Pyrrha understood it.

And if Mordred was happy near this girl, then she was certainly someone worth getting to know, as Pyrrha had decided. Even if she was determined to be with him and she stood by her decision, she wasn't going to force his hand, as there was a difference to Pyrrha between loving a person and being obsessed with him. If Mordred wasn't going to reciprocate her feelings, then she wouldn't stand in the way of one that he cared for, and if he agreed with Fleur's idea, then it shouldn't be too much of trouble to bring in another girl that had claimed part of Mordred's heart. If the harem was to be created with Mordred at his center, then he would be the one to decide who he chooses to care for and become part of his family. Young redhead suspected that Fleur's proposal for creating a harem was one with ulterior motive for her, beyond simply securing her House's future. And Pyrrha feared that Fleur might cause far more harm than even she can predict, especially given Veelas emotional sensitivity, strong sense of possession over their chosen mates and complete intolerance of rivals, even those that aren't exactly one.

Unfortunately for her, Fleur, drunk on rage, indignation and simply overwhelmed by all that had happened over such a short period of time, seeing her chosen husband with some unknown to her sow was an insult to her pride and dignity that was deeper than any that those pathetic Slytherins have inflicted upon her so far. She hadn't even noticed when her human rationality gave way to her Veela instincts and mentality. The sight of Mordred with that blonde was more than enough to set her blood ablaze and already her Veela physical characteristics were beginning to show, as her hands began to become covered with feathers, and face slightly elongated, scaring a little Pyrrha and many of the students that were around them. Fleur wasn't going to abide by this, and immediately she rushed towards Mordred and that girl, intent to make sure that this sow and Mordred knew what it was to cross a mad Veela.

Mordred and Leticia stopped in their tracks when they've sensed great surge of magical power coming from ahead of them. Mordred was the first one to turn and see already half-transformed Fleur practically flying towards Leticia, her hands adorned by sharp talons. With a blood-curling screech, she lunged herself at Leticia and was prepared to carve her up, but at the last moment, Mordred pushed Leticia away and put himself between her and Fleur, catching one of her clawed hands and not letting her go.

"What the hell are you doing, Fleur?!" Mordred demanded of his friend, while she struggled to free herself. "Calm down and explain yourself! Why did you try to attack her?"

"Why?! _You _have the gall to ask me why?! How dare you, traitor!" And in that moment, Fleur did something at she was later regret deeply…

With her freed hand and in a drunken blind fit of rage, jealousy and fury, she strikes Mordred, with her talons finding his cheek. He didn't expect such an act from Fleur and wasn't prepared to deflect it or move away, and so the talons have slashed at him. With a cry of pain, Mordred stumbled away, releasing Fleur and covering his left side of the face with a hand, as blood seeped between his fingers and spilled onto the floor. The hall was in shock, teachers too as none had expected such a thing to happen, while British Aurors stood frozen, and only the foreign Aurors, with Valerio in lead already headed their way. Before a few second had passed after the attack, Valerio and three of his subordinates have shot stunners at Fleur knocking her out, before starting to bark out orders.

"Take Fleur Delacour and put her in a restraining suit, lock her up until my say so! You, get me the damn Headmaster and his deputy." Valerio ordered before turning towards Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, I want you to head to the closest fireplace and make a call to Lord Pendragon and Lord Delacour, explain the situation here and call them here. I'll take Mordred to the nurse to see that cut healed. C'mon, Mordred, just hang in there."

"Here, let me help." Suddenly, Leticia stepped close to Mordred and put her hand onto Mordred's that covered his wound. "Please stand still, Mordred, I will be done in a bit and you'll be all better."

She began to quietly chant, with only Mordred hearing what Leticia was saying, while Valerio and others looked transfixed at what was happening before their eyes. A pure, dim golden glow showed from Leticia's hand and it touched Mordred's wound, calming Mordred and stopping him from squirming. In a few seconds, the glow ended, with Leticia lightly taking Mordred's hand off his face, revealing his fine visage, with no sign of any kind of injury on him. He, along with Valerio, Pyrrha and others looked shocked and astonished at what had happened, while Leticia simply smiled to him and spoke.

"Does it hurt?" She asked of Mordred, who shook his head.

"No, like it never even was there." Mordred answered in an amazed tone. "Thank you, Leticia. And I'm sorry you had to witness something like that."

"No need for apologies. Nobody was hurt, and that is what's important, but something tells me that girl was very distraught, even before seeing us walk in together." Leticia noted, as she looked at Fleur being carried away. "I guess being placed in Slytherin didn't work out well for her."

"Slytherin?" Mordred asked again, before recalling that Fleur indeed was sorted into one House, where she was sure to be picked upon because of her race, before he turned to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, did Fleur tell you what had happened to her and what had gotten her so distraught?" Mordred asked of her.

"She did, but… Mordred, are you sure that you want to hear about it?" She asked of him. "I mean, you won't like it and you'll probably do something that you might regret and…"

"Pyrrha, what happened to Fleur?" Mordred repeated his question, with Pyrrha sighing and beginning her tale.

* * *

**Five minutes later.**

Hogwarts practically shook from the amount of violent and powerful energy being unleashed by Mordred, as he made his way towards the greasy haired Potions Professor that was Severus Snape. Red aura of power danced around him, as his eyes blazed crimson red, while he moved through the crowds of students, or rather students moved out of his so as to not get caught and burned by Mordred's power. It didn't take him long to make his way to the needed cabinet, and once he was there, he decided to make the right kind of impression…

…when he blasted the door to the smithereens, walking through it and see an entire class full of first year Gryffindor and Slytherin students, watching with shock and fear in their eyes. Severus Snape was at the head of the class and looked downright livid and murderous at Mordred, and was about to voice his indignation, but Mordred beat him to it.

"Severus Snape, you have something to answer for before me, Death Eater."

* * *

**Sorry for the late post, but I was kinda preoccupied with something that came up. Nothing major, just something that needed to be take care of, but anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter. Now as for the question a few of you will ask: who is Leticia?**

**The answer to that… Sorry, but I'll keep a secret, but it's not even a secret to some of you out there. Just her appearance should alert more than few so as to her identity. I'll just say that she and Mordred will have a long and eventful history together, and as to why she is so eager to be his friend and even seems to know him? Another secret…**

**As for the organization Leticia is from, those of you who are familiar with Warhammer 40K, should know about Adepta Sororitas, or Sisters of Battle. Needless to say, I took a basic concept, altered it up a bit and made them into my story. Basically, they are an all-female religious order of the Old Way practitioners, with its roots coming from the personal guard of Maid of Orleans. Along with being witch hunters (ironically…) they are also medics, teachers, nurses, sisters and so forth. They have deep connections with both Church, being employed by them to their bidding, and Ministry of France, since the Order is primarily situated in France.**

**Next time: Showdown and shakedown; Making snakes bow.**

**'****Till next time!**


	18. Chapter 18

The room was silent, tension rising the moment Mordred walked through the destroyed door and spoke to Snape. The greasy-haired Potions Professor was at first shocked at the gall and audacity of Mordred, before anger began to take shape and his face contorted, displaying his evident fury. Never in his career had he ever been addressed in such disrespectful and insulting manner, never has any of the students have ever dared to so openly challenge the Head of House Slytherin, and yet this insufferable bastard of Houses Pendragon, Black and Potter dared to do so. And not just in private, but in front of the first years Gryffindors and Slytherins, who no doubt will quickly spread the rumors about it all to their housemates, belittling Snape in the eyes of all.

Due to his miserable tenure as the student of Hogwarts, thanks in large part to James Potter and his friends, along with his life as a Death Eater, where he found himself also in state of humility and misery, now at the hands of Arthur Pendragon, Snape had acquired a very bitter attitude. He didn't hide the fact that after becoming the Potions' Professor in Hogwarts and Head of his former House, he enjoyed and reveled in exercising his power with little to no regard that he will be punished. In a way this was a sort of compensation for all the humiliation he had to unjustly endure at the hands of lesser people. Snape had gotten so used to stirring his already prejudiced House towards outright racism and animosity towards others, that he had forgotten about possible consequences of his actions.

After all, he has made life miserable for nearly the entirety of the Light and Neutral Nobility of Magical Britain, and none had even filed a complaint. Snape was confident that even now, with the exchange students and foreign Aurors being present in the castle, and even with the Boy-Who-Lived being made a student this year, he will be able to reap his harvest of misery and self-esteem. And this time, he will do so with Dumbledore's approval, instead of his weak protests made under the so-called pressure of the teaching staff.

This time Snape had to use his talents to make life miserable for one Fleur Delacour, a half-breed and spawn of Veela of all creatures, who also happened to be friends with Harry Potter, or as he was now known as Mordred Pendragon. It wasn't a secret that Dumbledore was going to use his powers to force the Hat to send Mordred and his friends into separate Houses, with Mordred being sent specifically into Gryffindor. Snape's task was in making sure that Fleur Delacour's tenure here was short and abrupt, with the girl being made an object of psychological and verbal abuse, as well as physical if need be. Snape was more than happy to make that creature's life here a living hell, seeing all non-human or hybrid creatures that bore resemblance to humans as inferior and vile. Potions' master expected there will be no problems on his end in accomplishing his goal.

Unfortunately, Snape had made a single miscalculation in this usually precise equations- he didn't account for bellicose and fiercely independent character that was Mordred Pendragon, who was now marching towards him with other students, including Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Jamie Potter, looking at this with shock and interest in their eyes.

Only once Mordred had reached the man and stood just half a meter away from him, did Snape give way to his anger.

"Potter, I had known that you are just as prideful and thickheaded as your imbecilic father, but who in Merlin's name do _you _think you are to come here like this and _demand _something from me?!" Snape snarled at him. "You, little inbred, how…"

"First up, I am Pendragon, not Potter, so keep that in mind, Snape." Mordred didn't let him finish his tirade. "Second, I am here because of what you and your wretched House inbred wastes of fresh air had done to Fleur Delacour."

"And what, do tell, did that half-breed state we did to her, hm?" Snape arrogantly asked of him. "Little boy, you don't even have the right to address me as…"

"I'll address you however I wish, and you _will _speak when _I _allow it, so shut up and listen." Mordred flared up his red aura around himself, making Snape flinch and snapping him out of his state. "It has come to my attention, that majority, if not entirety of House Slytherin, _including _its head of the House, have debased, vulgarized and insulted Fleur Delacour to the point of causing her to suffer a mental breakdown. Do you deny the fact of directed persecution towards her?"

"Pft, what, did that little half-blooded filth go and cry about us to her lover?" Malfoy said out loud, causing some of his Slytherin and even some of the Gryffindor housemates to laugh, but most kept quiet out of fear. "That feathered whore needed to know her place in the pecking order so we've…" Suddenly, all of parchments on the tables of students flared up and burned with unnaturally red flames, just as Mordred had turned his eyes towards the young fool who spoke up.

"Keep quiet, little snake, while men talk." Mordred said to him, before turning back to Snape. "Now, I demand that you answer my question, Snape."

It was at this moment when Minerva McGonagall, Pyrrha Nikos, Valerio Medici and Albus Dumbledore have chosen to barge into the cabinet, with Head of House Gryffindor speaking in an outraged tone.

"Mr. Potter, what in the world do you think you are doing?! Apologize to Professor Snape this instant and leave the cabinet with us!" Professor demanded from him, making Mordred turn towards her and the gathered group.

"Or else what?" He asked in a both serious and challenging manner.

"You will face a longer detention and larger withdrawal of points to add up to those that you've already earned." Minerva warned Mordred. "Now, Mr. Potter…"

"His name is Mordred Pendragon, Professor, and do please remember that, because the next time you or anyone in this staff calls him that name, it shall be considered a determined insult upon his persona." Valerio stated to McGonagall and Dumbledore, surprising them.

"Mr. Medici, what exactly do you mean by this?" Dumbledore decided to play his usual card and find out what it meant for him.

"Exactly what it sounds like, Headmaster. Mordred Pendragon is a member of House Pendragon and had been adopted into it through Ritual of Blood Acceptance. Calling him Harry Potter is both provocative as well as insulting, given his history with said name and now effectively defunct House Potter." Valerio reminded everyone about it.

"What did you just call my House?!" Jamie rose up from his seat, before suddenly being forced into his seat by sheer amount of magical pressure put on him by Mordred.

"Don't interject, and as for what I'm doing here, Professors, I am exercising my rights and duties as protector of Lady Delacour." Mordred stated to everyone. "And according to those rights and duties, I have the full right to demand explanations and, when the crime had been confirmed to have taken place, satisfactory compensation."

"That right can only be exercised by a Lord of the House, not one of its members, so you have no rights to do anything in this case." Hermione spoke up from her seat, surprising everyone with her knowledge. "That is the law in Magical Britain."

"But not in the case of ICW, which supersedes Ministry of Britain, and Mordred does have those rights and duties bestowed upon him." Pyrrha spoke up, making Hermione turn towards the redhead with an insulted look. "Most Houses may have only the Lord do all this kind of stuff, but with Pendragons that is different. In case of a member of Pendragon bloodline, in this case Fleur Delacour, being insulted and abused, _any _member of ruling House, namely House Pendragon, _must _take all the necessary actions to ensure her safety and needed compensation. Mordred is simply completing his duty here, as he should be doing so."

"Mr. Pendragon, surely that a young man like you isn't all that well suited to handle such a delicate matter. Why don't we all take this to my office, and there, after we've all had some tea, we may come to a reasonable and just conclusion to this relatively minor offence." Dumbledore suggested, but Mordred wasn't going to budge.

"There is nothing minor about it, and you can be assured, that by the time Lords Pendragon and Delacour get here, they will have words with you personally, Headmaster." Mordred assured Dumbledore, with Valerio nodding, confirming that they were on their way. "However, given the severity of the situation, it requires immediate response and resolution, so I am not just bound, but forced to exercise my duty. And if I were to ignore it, I would be acting in a way that was unfitting of a member of House Pendragon. Now, Snape, answer the question."

"And what if I decide not to answer it? You and your Auror friends here have no rights to order me or anyone around, no matter how much you may think differently." Snape sneered at Mordred, who simply smirked at him.

"Then I'll use alternative means." Mordred simply stated to him, before lining his eyes with Snape's.

Mordred may have never been trained in refined form of Legilimency, unlike with his Occlumency, but he knew how to utilize and make use of it. Given his training in the Old Way, he could successfully implement the craft of reading others' minds, sacrificing finesse, focus and concentration, but compensating that with staggering amount of magical power. And given the fact of Mordred's training, lineage and history, he had more than enough of magical power to call upon, as he used Legilimency on Snape.

The man proved to be a difficult nut to crack for Mordred, as his Occlumency shields were near the same level as Mordred's, but that didn't mean that Mordred wasn't able to get anything from the sleazy bastard. He couldn't pierce into his deeper parts and thoughts, but he was able to get a sizable amount of information from the man, including what he was looking for, and it turned out that Mordred had underestimated the old man Dumbledore.

The entire Sorting, just as Mordred had suspected, was a staged by Dumbledore to separate Mordred from his friends and surround him from all sides. As for the situation with Fleur, it was a long agreed thing to do between Dumbledore and Snape, where Snape subjects Fleur to constant and unbearable amounts of abuse, with Dumbledore keeping all the students and teachers from acting. Dumbledore even had British Aurors already obeying him and closing eyes on his clandestine activities, so they would be of no help. There were also plans drafted to keep foreign Aurors from interfering in Dumbledore's plan, glimpses of which Mordred was able to see.

There wasn't enough to piece the whole picture together, but Mordred did learn that the Stone was in Hogwarts, exactly where Dumbledore had pointed him towards, along with a complete map of the obstacles standing between Mordred and obtaining that Stone. Next thing that Mordred was able to get from Snape's mind was Dumbledore and Order's plan to take control of Mordred over the course of the autumn, with details still in the making, but Mordred planned to be out of this place by the end of autumn, if not earlier. The last thing that young Pendragon had learned was that Dumbledore had planned on pushing Mordred's buttons, in order to find out just how strong he is. Now that little detail actually gave Mordred an idea that he could exploit, with a plan forming his mind. And once he stopped prodding Snape's mind, a plan was already formed and ready for implementation.

Snape staggered back, panting and fuming, shaking from sheer amount of fury that was concentrated inside of him. He was positively aghast and livid at the same time: some dirty, arrogant and obnoxious _boy_ had dared to pry into his mind! His only sanctum, one where Snape was allowed freedom of expression and desire, was just violated by this brat, who dared to challenge him. This was the tipping point, and as he had gathered his strength, he lunged himself at Mordred, grabbing him by the collar of his robes and snarling at him.

"You pathetic excuse of a wizard, just who do you think you are to challenge me?!" Snape tried to shake Mordred, but he didn't budge. "I'll teach you to respect your superiors, boy!" With that, Snape brought up his left hand and prepared to slap Mordred, but he was unable, as said boy easily grabbed his hand in midair.

Then, making a show out of it, Mordred slowly brought up his left hand and gently grabbed Snape's arm, showing that he seemingly was powerless. Yet the very next moment, Snape's hold over Mordred's collar had faltered, releasing the boy and completely changing the situation, much to the shock of students and teachers. Now, it was Mordred who had Snape at his mercy, to do whatever he wanted to do with him. As Snape's face started to show signs of pain from the strain he began to feel, as Mordred began to apply pressure upon him, young man spoke.

"You called me a pathetic excuse of a wizard, yet this very excuse now holds both of your hands and you can't get away. Just goes to show how much more pathetic _you_ are when compared to someone like me." Mordred stated to Snape, aggravating him. "You've called me a boy, but do you even know the difference between a boy and a man, Snape? A boy plays around with what he can, never thinking if his toys may feel something or care about wellbeing, just like you do with your students. A man may with them, but he does so carefully, thinking about how to move them, what to do with them, and how not to break them. And the toys do break, a boy will go crying to his parents and demand that they buy him new ones, while a man will reflect on why his broke, take responsibility for it and learn from it. That's the difference between us, Snape: I take responsibility for my actions and do what I must, while you act on pathetic wishes of your wounded pride and play your sick little games with them. You don't take responsibility for your actions, you shift to those that stand above you, which makes you a boy. And like all bad boys, you need to be punished." And with that said, Mordred gripped Snape's right hand and tightened the grip, before a sickening sound of a broken bone sounded throughout the classroom.

Dumbledore, McGonagall and the rest of the class were in a state of horrid shock at seeing how effortlessly Mordred just broke Snape's arm, while Pyrrha and Valerio weren't as surprised as the others. For Pyrrha and her brother this was nothing new, as Pyrrha herself was trained in the same way as Mordred was, and if need be, she could just as easily break someone's arm or leg. She had done so with Mordred once, during the training, and it was then that she had learned to always control her power lest she hurts someone she cares for.

Mordred also learned the same lesson, and that is why he didn't block Fleur's clawed hand when she struck. Had he done, he would've had to utilize magical augmentation to stop her, as Veela's speed and strength was above human levels, but not beyond Mordred's level. His reaction is attuned very well, with his physical power is unrivaled even by Pyrrha herself, and with magic adding up strength to him, he would've easily stopped Fleur. But in the process, he could've shattered half of her bones in her arm, hurting her immensely, and if there is one thing that Pyrrha would classify as Mordred's weakness, then it would be his unwillingness to hurt his loved ones. He'd sooner take a stab to the heart than hurt his friends and family, and Pyrrha knew it all too well. And if those same friends and family are hurt by someone, then Mordred will not rest until punishes people responsible for it. Just like now.

Snape whimpered from pain, before being released by Mordred, letting him fall on the floor on his knees.

"Consider this as the first payment for what you and your collection of inbred parasites have done to Fleur and what you were planning to do. As for the rest, in exactly 8 hours' time, at 18 PM local, you will have every Slytherin student that had belittled Fleur assembled in the great hall before me and her, along with you being among them." Mordred spoke in cold, calculating tone, scaring others even more. "And once assembled, you will get on your knees and bow before her, asking for forgiveness, before all the other Houses. Do that, the debt will be paid and crime, but fail to do so, then there will be far harsher consequences than just swallowing your pride and kowtowing to a girl."

"Enough, Mr. Pendragon! As the Headmaster, I will not allow you to threaten students in my school. Now, I believe that we are best take this in my office, where we can discuss this situation at length in a more peaceful manner." Dumbledore spoke up, with Mordred turning towards him, and actually nodding to him.

"As you wish, Headmaster, but I do believe that such a talk will have to require a presence of my parents." Mordred noted.

"I will notify James and Lily that…" Minerva tried to speak up, but Pyrrha interrupted her.

"Lord and Lady Pendragon will be arriving here shortly, while Lord and Lady Delacour, unfortunately, are unable to be present due to attending to other matters in the Ministry." Pyrrha spoke up, making Minerva and Albus turn to her. "However, I was assured that they will be informed of the accident and shall arrive here in the shortest of notices. In the meantime, Lady Pendragon will handle the release of Fleur Delacour, while Lord Pendragon handles the repercussions following the abuse."

"My dear girl, there was never any need to involve them like this when we could've handled this situation without ever troubling them." Dumbledore tried to chide Pyrrha, but her brother didn't allow him to do so.

"If that's how you run things in here, then I'll make certain that all of my Aurors keep a close eye on all of teachers' activities, because if they are the same way as this piece of filth, then I'll petition the ICW to abort this damn program immediately." Valerio promised Dumbledore. "And as for the conflict between Snape and Pendragon bloodline, if the offended party's conditions are met, then I'll consider the conflict resolved. If the conflict isn't resolved like that, then me and my Aurors will resolve it alternatively, in accordance to the rules of educational conduct set by ICW."

"And what would those rules might demand of Professor Snape?" Minerva asked.

"That he is to be arrested, his activities investigated and then put on trial for his crimes, alongside you and Headmaster, for failing to protect the students and their interests from continuous and blatant abuse at the hands of what I consider to be an ill-gotten and psychologically unstable person." Valerio explained to them, before turning to Mordred. "Until Lord Pendragon arrives, Mr. Pendragon shall remain with me." Mordred nodded to him, moving to Valerio to leave the room.

Unfortunately, while they had thought that this was over, it was not so over for Severus Snape, who rose up from his knees, hissing from pain and fury he felt at the moment. This was the single most humiliating and pathetic moment in his life, he was brought to the lowest point of his life, and it was done by the discarded fetus waste of Lily and James Potter. He wasn't going to let this slide just like that, and he was going to punish that upstart brat for even thinking about humiliating him. While his right hand was broken and unresponsive, his left one still remained operation, so he reaching for his wand with it and point at already leaving Mordred. With half-hiss, he mouthed out his signature spell and sent _Sectumsempra _flying towards Mordred's back, already relishing in the delight of teaching that boy what it meant to be a man and a boy.

However, Snape still hasn't learned his lesson well enough, for Mordred was no simple boy, man or even a wizard. He was a wizard of the old school, adept of the Old Ways, and a scion of House Pendragon, a House where blood and magic ran thickest. Young man sensed foul intent towards him and how magic shifted in Snape, alerting him to the spell being cast towards him. In less than a second's time, Mordred's aura flared up, red bolts shooting from him and crimson barrier appearing around him, with Snape's curse being stopped and destroyed by it. Once Snape saw that his curse was no more and he saw Mordred turning towards him, he tried to conjure another spell, but that didn't go as well as the last time. Mordred had all the excuse he needed to make this man pay for once again messing with House Pendragon and him personally, as his energies turned violent and erratic, signaling that he now was using Mana Burst.

And the next thing Mordred did was sending a wave of that powerful raw magic towards Snape, with the trail being left behind on the floor as the crimson bolt reached Snape. It hit him in his outstretched arm and wand, before literally turning all that was below his shoulder into ashes. If students weren't horrified before, they were now, as Snape once again fell upon his knees and unable to say a single thing.

"That was the advance payment too. I expect the rest to be delivered on time." Mordred simply stated to him and left the stunned and shocked class behind.

* * *

**Sometime later.**

Lady Aries was the first to arrive in Hogwarts, given the fact of her having received Pyrrha's call and explanations from the girl on what had happened. Lady of House Pendragon didn't waste time and sent needed messages to her husband and Delacour family before leaving for Hogwarts, accompanied by Raynare, who in the absence of Mordred has become Aries' personal maid. It didn't take the two long to reach Hogwarts through the portal, and once there, Aries met up with Valerio, Pyrrha, Mordred and Dumbledore, before quickly getting a detailed explanation on what had happened and what her son had done. While she had hoped that her son would've acted in a more level-headed way, Aries couldn't bring herself to chide or to be angry with Mordred, for he acted as member of House Pendragon would, even if he took that responsibility to the extreme. It's just how members of her House that she presided over worked: all or nothing.

She had left them, but not before stating that as Lady of House Pendragon and a mother, she was proud to have raised a man that didn't fear to stand up for what was right. She wasn't really in the mood to deal with Dumbledore and Snape, and despite how brutal and violent Mordred may've acted, she had to give credit where credit was due: Mordred made his position, and position of House Pendragon, clear and know to everyone. And Snape needed to be punished for what he was doing, and such a humiliation as bowing on the knees along with most of his House was something that Aries had agree would look quite spectacular. However, that wasn't why she was here in Hogwarts, nor was she here to reminisce about the good old days, as the non-magicals like to say.

No, she was here because it came to her attention that Mordred had been hurt by Fleur, who acted out of her stress, jealousy and just baser instincts. Aries knew from the start that Hogwarts was not the place for someone like Fleur, especially with House Slytherin and its Head being all bigoted racists, obsessed with superiority of the purebloods. It didn't take Aries long to figure out that Fleur would become the central object of abuse, bullying and mistreatment, and that Hogwarts' staff would do little to nothing about it.

With that in mind, when she heard that Fleur was going to attend Hogwarts as part of the exchange program, Aries had tried to convince Apolline to stop her daughter from going there, bringing plenty of reasons and facts to support her case. Unfortunately for Aries, Apolline didn't budge and even felt insulted at the fact of Aries barging into her family's affairs, stating that she was ought to keep her nose in House Pendragon's business only, and that House Delacour will do as it wished. Aries understood from her statement that Apolline was dead set on seeing her daughter sent to Hogwarts if only to get her as close as possible to Mordred.

Aries, along with Juno and some others, wasn't blind and she knew full well that both Fleur and Pyrrha had deep and intense feelings towards her youngest son, and was well aware of the fact that there was a certain rivalry between the two over Mordred. Personally, Aries wasn't against either of the girls to become her future daughter-in-law, or at least that was the case in recent past. Nowadays, Lady Pendragon had shifted her favor towards the level-headed and bright girl that was Pyrrha over Fleur, who, as Aries has observed, over the years has started to exhibit more and more traits of her mother and Veelas in general. That was something that deeply concerned Aries and while she was a non-biased individual and had no prejudiced views on the other species, she did have a certain amount of distrust and dislike towards Veelas, which stemmed from before she and Arthur even had their eldest son.

Back when Arthur had only became Lord Pendragon and she became Lady Pendragon, they were still pretty new to French Magical Society and most of the Branch Families in general. Given the fact of Arthur being an outcast of House Pendragon for most of his life in all but the name, it wasn't surprising that he wasn't all that well caught up in the inner politics of House Pendragon when he assumed the position, and a certain Branch Family had decided to take advantage of it. House Reinier, a relatively obscure and minor House of Pendragon bloodline, had managed to procure a writ, which stated that Arthur was to be married to Lord Reinier's eldest daughter, a Veela girl much like Fleur was now. The magical contract was created by Arthur's father soon after Euphemia Potter took Arthur away to raise him, and not many knew of such a thing ever being created.

This was shock for both Arthur and Aries, who, much to her own shame later on, thought that her husband was cheating on her with that Veela, but it was quickly proven to be incorrect. The contracted bride immediately set about to try and seduce Arthur, as well as to drive away Aries by any means necessary. For almost half a year Aries was forced to endure that woman's assault on her pride, dignity and most of all, her husband and place in the House, yet she prevailed despite all the efforts to paint Aries as a weak, ineffective and a barren woman and Lady of House Pendragon. The situation, however, changed when Aries was discovered to have grown heavy with her and Arthur's child, proving once and for all that House Pendragon will continue through her.

That was the point of no return for the Reiniers and that Veela, and they set about to try and do something that would prove to be their downfall. They had tried to have Aries assassinated and went as far as to even make alliance with Death Eaters and Voldemort. The Dark Lord had decided to use this opportunity to destroy House Pendragon for good, so he sent his most trusted and one of the deadliest servants, Aries' own flesh and blood, her twin sister, Bellatrix Lestrange. This was the first time the two had seen each other after many years, and this was going to be the last time the two will meet each other, as since that day, Aries hadn't seen her sister since. They met in a magical duel, the ferocity and might of which could only have been achieved by members of House Black. The duel was brutal and hard for Aries, but she managed to beat her sister, proving once and for all that she was Bellatrix's better.

Soon after the duel, Aries and Arthur found out who was it that had helped Bellatrix slip into France unnoticed, and that was the end of House Reinier for good. Arthur had been merciless upon the House and had the entirety of the House destroyed, with its male members killed, while women were sent either to church or married off. As for that Veela girl, Aries got to deal with her herself, and only she and Grayfia know what became of her, and Aries had Grayfia swear to her to never even mention that woman ever. In fact, she had the entire Pendragon bloodline forced to not mention either House Reinier or the Veela woman, whose name most had forgotten for good, lest they suffer the wrath of Aries Cecilia Pendragon. Such an act had brought respect and recognition to Aries from other Houses and its Lords and Ladies, which had only strengthen and grown ever since. Right now, it was as clear as day to all members of House Pendragon and it's Branch Families, that both Lord and Lady ruled the House and Bloodline with equal amount of authority and power.

And now Aries wished not to be forced to exercise her authority and power as Lady Pendragon, since she did like Fleur and if the girl was to get out from under her mother's wing, she would flourish as a woman that Aries would consider to be nothing less than brilliant. Right now, unfortunately, she saw in Fleur not a potentially strong and powerful Lady, but ghost of the past that now seemed to haunt her and her family. And Aries wasn't about to let that ghost become flesh and bones once more, as she walked towards the room where Fleur was being held. As they walked towards it, Raynare decided to speak up.

"My lady, forgive me, but can I ask why have you decided not to speak with Dumbledore about what had happened?" Raynare asked of Aries, who didn't slow down on her walk towards Fleur. "I mean, Mordred had just… I don't even think I can put right into the words."

"I believe I can summarize it best: he did his duty as a member of House Pendragon, even if it meant standing in defense of one person who had the gall to raise her hand upon him." Aries stated. "That was something that Mordred was bound to do by his duty as a member of House Pendragon, and there is nothing more for me to know. Arthur is of the same opinion, and he is coming here to see justice done. As for why I am going to see Fleur, I wish to talk to her and see that she is released in my custody."

"Do you plan to see her punished for what she did?" Raynare asked, with a hint of anger and desire to hurt the girl evident in her tone. "It is inexcusable for her to have raised her hand upon Mordred, and despite what she had been subjected to, she needs to be punished. If you prefer, my lady, I would…"

"I appreciate your fierce loyalty towards my son, Raynare, and I do like your enthusiasm, but right now I merely wish see Fleur and talk to her, before making any decisions." Aries told her maid, making sure that she didn't make anything that Lady Pendragon wouldn't want. "If the need arises, I shall let you know. Until then, I wish to not interrupt me and Fleur. I understand that given the circumstances for you it may be difficult, but I do hope that your professionalism will prevail over your desire to see your chosen one avenged." Raynare looked at her lady with shock in her eyes, understanding with she meant.

"M-my lady, I…" Raynare was at the loss of words. "I wasn't expecting that such news would reach you and warrant your attention."

"My Household and its members are centerpieces of my attention and care, Raynare. Never forget it, and as for your feelings towards my son, you may rest easy." Aries assured her with a small smile. "Unlike my parents and grandparents, I see little wrong in a possible match between my son and a Nephilim girl, should he decide to pursue such a relationship. And if he does, do me a favor, and not let him ensnare you too quickly."

"I am afraid that it may be quite impossible, for I am already most taken with him, my lady." Raynare admitted without any reservations. "If Lord Mordred were to order or ask me to be his, I wouldn't hesitate for a second and give all of myself to him. We Nephilims do not place as much importance on courtship process as others do, apologies if this isn't to your liking."

"No, it's not that I disapprove of your lack of courtship process as you've called. I am merely concerned that if you do happen to catch Mordred's eye, he may end feeling pressured into progressing your relations into more… committed form." Aries voiced her worries. "Much like you, Veelas do not have much patience for this kind of activity and more often than naught try to assert their position as wives."

"Yes, and often times it is done at the expense of husband's independence, health and freedom of choice, even if he doesn't understand it. You may rest easy, my lady, for my kind and I do not practice such things and understand the need of building mutual trust and deepening our feelings." Raynare assured her. "We may be decadent and hedonistic in the eyes of those that do not know us, but Nephilims are very sensitive towards their chosen ones and for us love isn't just about obtaining what we want. It is about seeing the ones we love happy and content, even if it means that we can't take place in his or her life. Love is sacrificial by nature, as my people like to say."

"That is a sad concept to adhere to, and given the fact that Nephilims truly chose their true love only once…"

"There were plenty of tragedies in my people's history that happened because of love, my lady." Raynare informed Aries. "If Lord Mordred does accept my feelings and reciprocates them, I will be the happiest ever, and even if I have to share him with others, I will do so without any malice or ill intent towards his chosen wife or lovers." That got Aries' attention.

"Raynare, forgive me, but it sounds to me like you are willing to see my son in a form of polygamous relations, with other women. Please tell me that…" But Raynare interrupted Aries.

"Milady, I am a Nephilim, and for us such things as monogamy seem as strange as polygamy to you, but you can't deny that such practices have existed in the Wizarding World's history and weren't banned by any serious law. If Mordred decides to pursue such type of relationship, I won't stop him, and I shall even help him." Raynare gave a small suggestive smile to seemingly shocked Aries. "I may be dedicated to him, milady, but if other ladies do become part of our family, I shall see them not as rivals, but as fellow lovers and spouses. And in the experience of my people, such view in the relations more often than naught had served to stabilize marriages, rather than destroy. And I want Mordred to _enjoy all _the benefits of such marriage, rather than be forced to endure all the negative sides of such arrangement. But of course, all depends on Mordred, and if he wishes to remain monogamous, then I shall be with him and only him, though with his stamina, he may spoil me rotten~." Raynare gave a suggestive chuckle.

"Raynare… Just… Just discuss this with Mordred." Aries seemingly gave up, which surprised Raynare.

"Milady?" Raynare asked the silent question, to which Aries replied.

"As Lady of House Pendragon, it is my duty to see that my House and its members prosper, and as a mother, I wish nothing more than to see my children happy and content with their lives. I have seen what violently pushing your own ideals onto children does, and how it may ruin their lives, when you do not let them grow up in to their own persons, instead making them carbon copies of the parents." Aries said with a sad memory before her eyes. "Mordred never had a chance at a normal childhood and I will not forgive myself for not giving it to him. However, I will feel far more ashamed and sad if I do not let him have a happy life, even if it is different from the others. My role as a mother is to nurture him into a man he can be, instead of the man his ancestors were."

"You may feel shame for your seeming failure at raising him, my lady, but you should know that you have done something far more important for Mordred- you gave him a happy and content childhood." Raynare assured her. "And that is far more important, especially with how he had been forced to deal with all the toils thrust upon him. You and Lord Arthur have done what only few could accomplish."

"Thank you, Raynare." Aries said softly, before they've reached the needed place, which was a repurposed former classroom, guarded by two foreign Aurors. "Is this where Fleur Delacour is currently held?"

"Yes, milady, but who are you?" One of the Aurors asked of her.

"This is Lady Aries Pendragon, Lady of House Pendragon and Matriarch of Pendragon bloodline. Since Lady Fleur Delacour is part of said bloodline, Lady Aries wishes to have Lady Fleur released into her custody." Raynare announced to the two Aurors, before producing the letter confirming the transfer of custody. "This document will surely be sufficient enough evidence of validity of Lady Pendragon's claim and request." One of the Aurors examined the document, before nodding and opening the door with magic.

"You may take the girl with you, milady." The Auror spoke with Aries nodding to him.

"Thank you, we shall be leaving shortly, but before that, I require some privacy with Lady Fleur. There are some things I wish to talk to her immediately." Aries told them, with the Aurors nodding and leaving her and Raynare.

The two women pushed the door forward and stepped into the former classroom, which now looked like it was converted into a hotel room, with nearly every accessory and needed thing inside. It looked like a place where you would hold a nobleman or noblewoman in under house arrest, instead of a holding cell. Fleur sat on the bed, with the restraining jacket of white color being worn by her. She looked up with her eyes and they widened when she saw Aries and Raynare.

"Lady Pendragon? What are you…" Fleur wasn't able to finish her sentence when Aries spoke.

"I am here to see you set free, Fleur, but first…" Aries took out her wand and with a wordless spell she unlocked the jacket, letting Fleur to discard it, while Raynare quickly procured Fleur's usual garments. "Please change from your current clothing into these, and make it quick." Fleur understood her and did as she was asked.

"I thank you for your help, Lady Pendragon, but why are you here with Mordred's maid? Weren't my mother and father informed about my imprisonment?" Fleur's tone didn't hide demand and some small measure of anger.

"They were informed, however they were unable to depart from their business immediately, and since I wished to come here, they've allowed me to get you released." Aries calmly stated, with Fleur simply nodding. "While it was my intention to see you released, Fleur, there is also one more matter that has led me to you today."

"And what would that be?" Fleur asked in a seemingly oblivious tone, which Aries didn't believe.

"I believe you already know the reason as to why I've come here for you, Fleur." Aries' voice grew colder, with Fleur noticing it. "Fleur, I have known since you were born. You've practically grew up on my eyes, and in all my years of knowing you, I have never would've expected you to act the way you have. _Especially _towards my son and your _supposed _best friend."

"Milady, please, you have to understand that all that had happened wasn't my fault…"

"Wasn't your fault? So it wasn't you who had struck my youngest son, nearly leaving him scarred and bleeding? It wasn't your clawed hand that carved his cheek and face?" Aries asked of Fleur, who looked down in shame. "I am well aware of the fact that you have had a very rough first day in here, with you being sorted into House Slytherin, the single worst place for a persona like you. However, that was no excuse for you to take out your frustrations and anger upon my son."

"Milady, but Mordred himself had provoked me!" Now that was something that Aries and Raynare didn't expect to hear. "While I was being degraded and debased by those uncouth inbred misogynists, your _precious _son was out _flirting _and making a new acquaintance with some random, unknown harlot, who had somehow even managed to have him walk her into the Great Hall, while I was trying to find him and have him console me!"

"What harlot do you speak of, Fleur?" Aries asked of her.

"I believe she refers to one known as Leticia Delys, my lady." Raynare spoke up, drawing attention from both Aries and Fleur. "While you were conversing with Headmaster and his deputy, I took it upon myself to find out more details regarding the incident. According to Pyrrha, Leticia Delys was the girl that walked with Mordred into the Great Hall, and it would seem that she was actually the primary target for Fleur's attack. Lord Mordred stepped between the two and as a result was struck by Fleur, who apparently saw the seemingly innocent act as an act of betrayal. It was also the very same girl who had managed to heal Mordred's injury right there and then, without utilization of a wand."

"Is this Leticia Delys a practitioner of the Old Ways?" Aries asked, immediately thinking about what that could mean for her son.

"The girl is most definitely is, and she has stated to me that she is a practitioner of the Old Ways, and a member of the Order of Martyred Lady." Raynare said to both surprised Aries and Fleur. "I can confirm that her words were truthful and she had no ill intent towards either me, you or anyone that is associated with Mordred, including him personally. Her desire is to see what Mordred has come to do be done, as she herself has stated."

"You believe her, Raynare?" Aries asked of her. "For what purpose with that militant Order send one of their own here of all places?"

"As I am certain you are aware, my lady, the Order was created from the Garde de Lys, an all-female unit of Jeanne d'Arc's guards, comprised mainly of the witches that practiced the Old Ways." Raynare reminded. "Throughout their history, the Order has never forgotten of those that had seen France sundered and they have also hunted down those that took part in death of Jeanne d'Arc. Nickolas Flammel, while not directly responsible, did play some part in her capture by the British, and so always has been a target by the Order. While I do not know all the details, my personal belief is that the Order wishes to see the Philosopher's Stone destroyed."

"Hmph, she could very well be trying to manipulate Mordred into handing that stone to her instead!" Fleur huffed with indignity.

"Clearly, Lady Fleur, you haven't studied the history of France very well, because if you, you would know that the Order of Martyred Lady has historically pledged themselves to destruction of such artifacts that subvert and distort the laws of magic and life. The Philosopher's Stone is the prime reason for their pledge." Raynare informed Fleur, who glared at the maid, before deciding to leave the room, as she made her way past Aries, but was quickly stopped by Raynare, who put herself between door and Fleur.

"And where do you think you are going, Fleur?" Aries asked, as she turned to face her.

"To see Mordred, now out of my way, Nephilim." Fleur commanded to Raynare. "I order you to let me go and see Mordred, you lousy maid! I'll make it clear to Mordred that he should have you fired for obstructing his fiancée's path!" Fleur's temper once more began to flare up, before her mind caught up with her words, making her shut up immediately.

"Fiancée, you say?" Aries said it as if she was tasting it in her mouth. "So, this is how you now see yourself, Fleur? Care to explain yourself?" the threatening tone of Aries' voice was enough to sober up Fleur.

"M-milady, I-I only meant that… W-well it's a-already obvious t-that either I o-or Pyrrha w-will be Mordred's wife. After all, we have been together for years now, being his closest friends and there is little doubt t-that he will need a good and capable wife, if he is t-to start up his own House, and s-so my mother and I…" Fleur wasn't allowed to continue, as Aries spoke up again.

"So, you and Apolline have decided, without consulting either me or my husband and, what is most important, without taking into account the opinion of my son, to have you become his fiancée?" Aries asked with voice as cold as winter in Russia. "I have suspected that Apolline might have some dreams of grandeur, but not something like this. And I have expected better from you, Fleur, much better. Did you honestly think that I would be supportive of such a thing as forcing my son to marry you?"

"B-but my lady, surely you would prefer s-someone whom you a-already know and can trust over some lousy harlot that would…"

"I would prefer that my son finds happiness and content with someone who makes him happy, without any outside interference. Even if the woman he finds happiness with doesn't meet some criteria that I may have, I will be content with her if she is what Mordred needs, and I fully trust my son to make the right choice in his relationships. And in case he does find love with someone I do not know, then I will have gained a new daughter, instead of losing my son over to her in fighting him about his choice." Aries stated with determination and cold anger in her voice. "And will not impose upon him anyone that wishes to claim him, without his consent to it, be it the richest noblewoman in all of world, or someone who has the delusions of grandeur in her head."

"Y-you can't be serious, m-milady. Y-you… You just disapprove of me and Mordred, because I remind you of Natalie Reinier!" Raynare widened her eyes when she heard that name. "That's right, I know about her and I know that she almost stole Lord Pendragon from you, when you were too frigid to…" It was at that moment that Fleur's mouth has finally ran her into the worst possible trouble imaginable, as Aries hand found Fleur's cheek and sent forced the girl to her knees, with a burning cheek.

"I have had enough of you, Fleur. You dare to raise a hand against my son, scheme to have him married to you, and you even have the gall to mention that woman's name and insult me in such a way. If you and your mother have so little respect of me, my son and my House's authority, then I shall _personally _ensure that you are educated." Aries stated to Fleur, who was starting to rise from her feet. "You are leaving Hogwarts and not returning here under _any _circumstances, and you are to be placed under a house arrest, with a psychiatrist monitoring your mental health, as well as remedying them. And you can forget about that marriage to my son, because while I live and serve as Lady of House Pendragon, I will not have an unstable girl racked with delusions and wild instincts that she can't even control. That is my word." Aries was starting to leave the room, when she heard Fleur speak once again.

"But you won't be Lady Pendragon forever… or for long." And that was enough for Raynare to place another slap upon the girl's face, forcing her to fall once more.

"Raynare, take this girl and have her put under house arrest in my personal summer villa. This is your punishment, Fleur, and until I see that you have recovered from whatever ailment you have, you will spend some much needed quality time in there." Raynare nodded to Lady Pendragon and teleported out of Hogwarts, with wards of the place not interfering with someone getting out of here.

"Milady." Grayfia has made her presence known to Aries. "What Fleur Delacour has said…"

"It was said under an ailment, induced by her presence in here and by cruel students that find joy in debasing those they deem lower than they are. That is the reason why I was merciful with her, instead of making her pay dearly for breaking my decree." Aries stated to Grayfia, who bowed before her as she left the empty room. "Now, has my husband and Lord and Lady Delacour arrived?"

"Yes, they are currently with Headmaster in his office, with his deputy, Potions Professor and Mordred being also present in there. They would like for Fleur to be present there as well." Grayfia stated to her lady, who began to walk towards the headmaster's office. "Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but I must ask what do you intend to do with Apolline and this supposed plan of theirs?"

"I assume you've heard all that has transpired in that room." Grayfia didn't answer, but one look said that Aries was right. "I will deal with her personally, and make it crystal clear, that if she tries anything of such sort ever again with my son, she and her daughter will not like the end result."

"And what of Leticia Delys, milady?" Grayfia asked of her.

"Find out everything about her, from her birthdate to how many spoons of sugar she puts in her tea." Aries ordered her, with Grayfia nodding to Lady Pendragon. "Such openness for a spy isn't normal… We can't be caught off guard, not while my son has a job to do here."

"You may count on me, my lady." Grayfia said to Aries. "Although, this girl's openness does remind of someone who used to be exactly the same way. She too couldn't lie even if her life had depended on it, in fact some would say that this is exactly why she perished. And yet even in the face of death she never said a lie… She was truly a remarkable person."

"Really? And what was the name of this person that you seem to admire so much?"

"Jeanne d'Arc, my lady."

* * *

**Sorry for the delay, had to deal with my PC getting a hardware upgrade it desperately needed, still getting a few kinks out of its newly installed system, as well as reinstalling all that is needed, so it might take some time. I hope that you've liked the new chapter, and so I hope you can forgive a delay. To all those Fleur sympathizers, she will have her chance to redeem herself, but not soon, unfortunately.**

**Not much more to say this time, so I think I'll leave it at that.**

**Next time: Meeting in the office; Snakes Bow; The Source is revealed.**


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